Boundless Kakera
by Finley the Penguin
Summary: An anthology of ONE-SHOTS; some connected, some separate. In the Sea of Kakera, there remains countless fragments that tell various anecdotes of the Higurashi cast. Whether ending in heart-warming romance, pain-striking tragedy, or plain slice-of-life moments, these stories all have one purpose: to entice its audience. Occasional KeiRika, though pairings vary greatly.
1. Moving On I

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**Author's Note:** **Hi, everyone! So I don't know where to start. I'm simply a growing writer aspiring to write fanfiction. Originally, I planned on starting fanfiction earlier this year, but then I felt that I wasn't ready and needed more time to hone my creative writing skills. Do not fret though. I'm more prepared this time and I intend on fleshing out stories that can hopefully interest you readers.**

**At the moment, I have set my sights on **_Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni_**. There just isn't enough recognition for this underrated series and that just doesn't settle well with me, so I figured, why not compose a story involving my number one favorite anime series ever?**

**I'm starting off here in this first fanfic of mine, **_Boundless Kakera_**. It's basically just a sequence of one-shots composed together. Some are left separate on their own, though there will be a lot of one-shots that connect with each other.**

**It won't be hard to differentiate the two; there will be roman numerals at the end of the title that show which one-shots are the connected ones. Speaking of which, you're on a connected one-shot right now. I'm writing out a story revolving around my most cherished (as well as the most underappreciated) one true pairing in all of Higurashi: Keiichi and Rika.**

**Go KeiRika! Nipah~**

**I do have a big project regarding **_Higurashi_** in mind, but I'll put that on hiatus for now and just focus on writing out a couple one-shots here before I feel I'm ready. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my first work! Criticism would be greatly appreciated (though don't chew me out on the grammar; I aware that I'm not the greatest in English), but try not to be too harsh, and please, **_**no flames**_**.**

**Thank you all for your time.**

**.**

**STORY ORIGINALLY POSTED ON APRIL 20, 2019**

[-x-]

_Summary: Post-Matsuribayashi-hen; After escaping the endless cycle of Fate, Rika struggles in what to do with her life. Hanyuu offers a solution: one that may very well change Rika's life, either better or worse for her relative. _

_Pairing(s): KeiRika (F/M)_

_Rated: T (for infrequent swearing)_

[-x-]

**1\. Moving On, Part I**

**...**

Rika and Hanyuu had done it. After a whole century of nothing but excruciating torment, after a whole century of being subjected to constantly watch their loved ones turn against one another, and after a whole century of repeating the same blood-stained summer over and over again, they finally prevailed over the Endless June.

The Furude girls weren't sure how to comprehend it all. They once viewed the world around them as a twisted battlefield; a mass living grave that furiously fiddled their slipping sanity. Each and every time Rika and Hanyuu struggled against their horrific dilemma, they were often met with the same results that always ended in tragedy. Fate was a sick bane in their existence.

It was fortunate that they weren't alone in peril. Both girls had friends who, although were plagued by the evils of distrust and hatred through a contagious disease, were willing to risk their own lives to assist the bluenette and her horned ancestor in need. The group of friends setted aside their differences and stood united against the mastermind of their endless torture, a blond nurse whose intentions were for the eradication of their home village in hopes of completing her grandfather's research.

And their fierce endeavors paid off.

With expertise on Hinamizawa's vast forest terrain, deceitful pranks, and subterfuge doused in the cunning ways of psychological warfare, Rika and her friends were able to stride past through all the atrocities and misery that awaited them. Miyo Takano, the culprit of Rika's never-ending torture, and her Yamainu forces stood no chance.

Last they heard from the blond antagonist, she was residing at the Irie Clinic, receiving treatment for the very same illness that proved to be Hinamizawa's greatest threat, and also the cause of her ambitions in committing massacre.

It had been four weeks since then. Rika and friends were living peacefully together, happy to bath in the waters of their own happiness devoid of any profound melancholia. The dreaded month of June had passed on, leaving behind the new beginnings of July. Everyone was quite content with their current lifestyles, though Rika Furude continued to struggle over a simple inquiry: one that lingered in the expanded regions of her mind,

"What can I do from here on out?" Rika muttered to herself.

Hanyuu gave a wry smile. "I don't suppose you could give up your grotesque tendencies of drinking."

Scoffing in mild annoyance, Rika sent a cold gaze to her relative, gripping onto the egg-shaped, half-filled glass resting in her left palm tightly before shifting her focus back to her drink. "Keep on dreaming, Hanyuu. This vintage red wine is very valuable. It's what gets me going."

Both girls were resting at their home, quietly conversing with each other. They were on the second week of July, late in the starry night of Sunday.

Outside, the majestic moon shone faint phantasmic radiance, laboriously showering all of Hinamizawa's hissing, gliding trees and bushes with its crystalline moonlight. The dead of night shed life, its numerous supply of shimmering stars dispersed through the expansive reaches of the world.

Rika, indifferent with the beams of natural luminescence and invisible cool wind coating her light skin, sat perched on the edges of the opened window, partially blocked the peering light in sight.

The pensive blue-haired child shook her wine glass delicately, watching the blood-like undiluted liquid inside rebound from the translucent walls in every direction. "Let's be serious about this. Our lives are no longer trapped in bondage, and we have freedom to do as we please. There's just so much out there for us, and I just can't figure out what to do."

"Oh, my sweet, sweet child," uttered Hanyuu, glancing at her descendant with a soft expression as she sat on her knees. "You mustn't be so impatient. Unlike all the other dead worlds we've ventured through for a hundred years, this one is willing to bring the future you desire into existence. You have all the time here to decide what you want in your life."** [1]**

The bluenette brought the tip of her beverage glass to her mouth, allowing its inebriating contents to seep effortlessly into the crevices of her light pink lips.

Draining the remaining red wine off its brittle-material prison, Rika gulped down her intoxicated drink and gently placed her cup down on the floor beside her. She raised a hand and wiped her lips, flicking off small traces of the red wine before bitterly grumbling, "Well, shit. That's not helpful at all."

Hanyuu recoiled over the sudden expletive, displeased. She quickly chastised in a hissing voice, "Rika!"

"Mmmm.. mmmmm... ughh..." another voice jumped in, stirring.

Both conscious girls cringed visibly as they glanced over to the side. They inspected the sleeping form of their roommate, Satoko Houjou, whose eyes were on the verge of snapping open. Though their worries skyrocketed, it soon dissipated. Satoko gave up on breaking her strings of slumber, turning her back away from the Furude children. "...nnnhh... mmmhhh..."

Rika breathed a silent sigh of relief, before glaring at Hanyuu, sneering, "Way to be subtle, Hanyuu. You almost woke Satoko up. Do you _not_ remember that you're in a visible body right now?"

"Au, au, au," Hanyuu whimpered, this time more discreetly than her previous outburst. "I apologize. I'm still not used to being out of my spirit form yet. Hmmm, on a side note, I'm glad there isn't much of a physical difference between both of my forms. It's great to look like a human child as opposed to taking the appearance of a... a... _demon_, even if I am still cursed with these horns."

Guilt washed over the child with lapis hime-cutted hair as she watched her lilac-haired ancestor irritably pick on the pair of dark-purple horns that grew on both sides of her head. She recalled how sensitive Hanyuu was over that demon topic. It wasn't pleasant. Retaining her cold exterior, Rika responded uneasily, "I- I... just... whatever. Forget about it. Let's move on."

Hanyuu pulled her hands away from her horns, diverting her attention back to Rika. "Honestly, I don't really see why we need to talk about this so soon. I already said it before, and I'll say it again- just take your time; _really _think to yourself about what you want and then go from there."

The troubled Rika sighed exasperatedly, "Hanyuu-"

But her relative was quick to intercept. "I'll give you credit, Rika Furude; you are judicious in ruminating over your new future, but you shouldn't be so fixated on this topic. Do not neglect the fact that while you may be a century old in mind, from outer appearance, you are still ten years of age, fairly young. Enjoy what life offers to the fullest while you can. Don't focus solely on your conflictions, otherwise you will forever remain an old bitter woman, resting tragically by death's door."

"Thank you for your useless preaching, o' wise one," Rika deadpanned sardonically, "Though in case you forget, I'm _already _an old bitter woman as is. Why are so laid-back about this, Hanyuu? We only have one life. _One_ life. We mustn't be so dismissive. This beautiful miracle of a world is a blessing, probably the only kind we'll ever get. If there was even a single slip-up, then it's all over."

Silence smoldered the room in hidden mist. Rika's cynical persona persisted, piercing through the cool, collected form of Hanyuu Furude with stern orchid optics. Hanyuu wasn't fazed by this though. Through all the hundred years of always standing by Rika's side, Hanyuu was much too used to her descendant's pessimism to be intimidated.

Following an agonizingly long minute of tense stillness, Hanyuu's face began to lit up. She tilted her off to the side, allowing her back-lengthened lavender hair to flow down deeper. Marginally raising a hand, Hanyuu caught strands of her hair between her two fingers, massaging them tenderly as she voiced, "You know what, Rika? Assuming you are still so insistent on worrying over your future, there is one idea I have in mind."

"Oh? And just what, pray tell, would that be?" Rika questioned, her one eyebrow quirked in curiosity.

Hanyuu flashed a welcoming upside-down frown. "Love."

The bluenette came close to choking on her breath as she stared disbelievingly at Hanyuu. Her vibrant violet irises contracted, and her mouth was left gaping. Rika couldn't help let the stutter pass through to her dark adult voice, "L- L- _Love?! _You can't be serious!"

"I'm very serious about this, my child," giggled Hanyuu, heavily amused with her next of kin's reaction. As she fiddled with her hair, Hanyuu elaborated, "What better way to ease your mind than to be intimate with another individual? This would also help your little problem in figuring out your next step towards the future. To me, that's a win-win situation right there, au auu~"

Rika's repetitive stammers subsisted briefly before vanishing. By then, she had successfully composed herself and responded explosively, "Hanyuu, that is easily the most stupid suggestion you have ever offered to me."

"Is it now?" Hanyuu grinned, irritating Rika even further. "I think it's the right idea for you."

Her descendant spat, "Don't be ridiculous! As if I would degrade myself to display such disgusting romantic affections. _Humph!_" Rika crossed her arms as she averted her gaze from Hanyuu, staring off into the idyllic night through the opened glass window with an indignant huff. "And besides, who on God's earth would fit best for me as a lover?"

Hanyuu's teasing visage broadened as her strands of lavender hair coiled around her two fingers. "Oh, now that's easy. Who else, other than... Keiichi Maebara."

Almost immediately, Rika snapped her head back, away from the pleasant scenery to her mischievous ancestor. The blue-haired child's amethyst irises screamed in hostility. Though her facial features expressed bloody murder, the lovely shade of bright red glazed on her cheeks told a different tale. "What did you just say?!"

"Keiichi would be a perfect lover for you," Hanyuu uncurled her locks, using her two fingers to reach out and point over to Rika. She winked shamelessly. "Do not think for a second I wouldn't notice. During our time in _Minagoroshi-hen_, you and Keiichi had a lot of interesting interactions together. Just when we were on the brink of giving up, he was there to support and bring you back on your feet." **[2]**

Hanyuu went on, "Not only that, but he knew how distressed you were when Satoko was imprisoned with her mean uncle, so he did everything he could to bring her back, going so far as to round up all of Hinamizawa and Okinomiya, and even stood up to Mion's scary grandmother for it. All so you could be happy again."

Rika scoffed, "So he helps me a lot. Big deal. And Keiichi didn't even get Satoko back by himself."

"No, but he contributed the most out of all of us," countered Hanyuu, "And there's more. Rika, he gave you many lessons how fate could be overcome. Keiichi was the one who twisted many patterns in our cycle; he _remembered _his own sins and tried to redeem himself for it. He was the one who _really _saved you from the Endless June, through his astounding miracles and undying determination. He's the prince... to your princess, au au."

The blush on Rika's cheeks intensified. "Hanyuu, you have a very sick imagination."

"Me? No, this is all coming from you," uncharacteristic smugness overtook Hanyuu's beaming expression. "Our senses are linked together so I know how you feel at all times. What I say about Keiichi is really all of what _you _think of him. You regard him as a knight-in-shining-armor, the one person who you only sought interest in. You see him as a great change; a _fantastic _addition to Hinamizawa. I distinctively recall you saying that the other worlds were depressing when he wasn't around."

"Because they were. He wasn't there to make a difference. Things weren't good without my Keiichi," Rika mumbled to herself, and instantly regretted her words.

Hanyuu caught on to her descendant's statement, eyes gleaming in playfulness. "_Your _Keiichi, huh? My, my, how and why did you grow to be so possessive over the young man? Hmm... could it be that I'm right and you're in complete denial over the fact that you _looove _him?"

Rika remained silent.

"Au, au, what am I saying? Of course I'm right. The deep blush on your cheeks serves as explicit evidence for that theory," Hanyuu pointed out, staring attentively at Rika's red cheeks.

"H-Huh?! Mii!" Rika placed one cupping hand to her left cheek, feeling the fiery heat sear the skin of her palm.

Cursing to herself inwardly, the bluenette leaned off to the right, looking at anything that wasn't Hanyuu. She fumbled over her words marginally before speaking up, "W- Whatever. What does it matter anyway? Even if all the crap you're spilling out is true, what makes you think that Keiichi and I could ever get together? There's other girls who-"

"-who could steal him away?" finished Hanyuu. "Well, yes. That's to be expected. Competition is essential to everything, and love is no exception. If it was really that easy, then life as a whole would be stagnation, which is more or less death when you think about it."

The flustered Furude Princess fidgeted slightly, her cheeks cooling down slowly.

Hanyuu's amused smile faltered as she sighed, "Rika... you mustn't dawdle. Love does not assist the shy; it only rewards those who try. You have all the infatuation to win Keiichi over as your boyfriend. All you need to do is express it, otherwise your feelings turn out pointless. Think of it like knowledge; it's redundant to possess it if you never expose it."

Her cerulean-haired relative revolved her head back to Hanyuu. Rika's violet pearls met with its parallel. This time, Rika looked more unsure. "When you put it that way, I guess it makes some sense. But still, what about the other girls?"

"You mean the other girls in the club?" Hanyuu laughed in a haughty but subtle voice, careful to not wake Satoko. "My dear child, you need not worry about your rivals. While they are your competition, just like you, neither of them can muster up the courage to confess to Keiichi. Fortunately for you, I, Hanyuu Furude, master of matchmaking, am here to assist you in your pursuits."

Rika snorted at Hanyuu's claim of matchmaking. "Don't flatter yourself, Oyashiro-sama. You may be god, but matchmaking is a stretch for your caliber." **[3]**

The small deity shook her head. "That's not the point. Rika, you have a chance. No one else is willing to reach out to Keiichi. If you heed my words and tell the boy about your feelings, you could potentially get what you desire most in your heart."

"And you suppose that would be Keiichi?" inquired Rika, her head leaning towards Hanyuu slightly.

Hanyuu nodded, placing her hands on her thighs. "Without a doubt, au au. I've seen Keiichi; he truly cares about you. It's very vague, but I know his relations with you are romantic as well. That boy was never really good when it came to grasping the complex concepts of love and women, which is why you should teach him. He loves you, you love him, and both of you are still developing in wisdom. This would be a great way for you two to be happy together, as well as to teach each other and learn about the many aspects of life that have yet to be discovered."

At that moment, Rika's attention departed from reality. The sole Furude heiress plunged into the fissures of her century-old mind, strapped into tight harnesses of contemplation. Keiichi Maebara was definitely a mystifying individual, being able to produce miracles that always seemed to throw her expectations out of the water. Even through one hundred years of anguish, Rika could never get tired of the boy.

She couldn't deny Hanyuu's words; there was something special about Keiichi that left herself mesmerized by his entrancing charms. In that short amount of time, Rika very briefly began to consider her ancestor's suggestions, believing that maybe she could have been right. But then quickly, her unyielding pride surfaced, drowning out any signs of hope that grew within her.

Rika blinked, finding herself in the same bedroom she had yet left out of, with Hanyuu sitting passively before her. A thick frown plastered on her face as she bitterly said, "This is a waste of my time. Love is for brainless idiots. I'm going to sleep."

"If that's the case, then I guess that makes you and Keiichi the most idiotic of them all," not offended in the slightest, Hanyuu replied back in a chirpy voice, sustaining a positive smile that- oh so- _tempted _Rika to punch angrily.

"Quiet, you," hissed Rika lowly. Getting off of the edge of the window, Rika landed on her barefeet softly as she started to walk over to her futon. "I don't have to listen to your nonsense. Good night."

Hanyuu watched, keeping her scanning pupils glued to her moving indigo-haired relative.

The disgruntled Rika slipped in between the thick, colorless blanket and quilted mattress. She rested her head on top of the soft, cushy pillow that lulled her to deep sleep. Though she was fairly resilient to alcohol, due to many years of indulging in countless beverages throughout her suffering, the red wine's influence had just enough power to attack its drinker at her weakest.

Rika, her strength gradually diminishing from the intoxication, loosened her grip on consciousness and gave in to the world of unmoving darkness.

As for the other Furude girl, Hanyuu blinked blankly at her inebriated child before sighing exasperatedly with a disapproving shake of her head. "Oh, no, no, no. This won't suffice at all. Love is not something you can dismiss, Rika Furude. There is definitely something going on between you and Keiichi, and you know it. If you won't cast away your pride and accept this great gift, then I'll have no choice but to take drastic measures. Mark my words; you and Keiichi _will _get together. I will make sure of that."

Putting her declaration to rest, the divine goddess stood up and shuffled her feet over to her futon, which was placed neatly next to Rika's. Hanyuu slid her small slim form inside, before she, too, surrendered herself to the dark sharp claws of sleep.

[-x-]

_'Damn you, Hanyuu. I should consider drowning you in a sea of wine and kimchi.'_ Rika thought internally as her eyes pointed down to her moving feet in great interest, ignoring the other two female companions that she was walking with.

It was five days - close to the end of the week - following the discussion that night, and currently, Rika was walking with Hanyuu and Satoko over to their school. They took the long way, wanting to bathe longer in their home village's refreshing scenery.

Disregarding the glaringly obvious contrast to its lunar counterpart, the sunrise struck a marvelous sight that rivaled its polar opposite in quality. Vibrant blue stretched its whole body across the atmosphere, decorated in scumbles of puffy white clouds.

The air - not hot, not cold, but fair in temperature - that swarmed about felt pleasantly soothing to the pedestrian trio in unhampered serenity. It followed the three girls from behind, massaging their backs tenderly. Through perfect synchronization, the strolling winds flowed with the clouds rhythmically to one direction.

Rika silently sighed to herself. _'That infuriating creampuff-loving brat just HAD to get to my head, didn't she? Great. And even on this nice Friday too...'_

She couldn't stop thinking about Keiichi.

Posterior to that little chat with Hanyuu, the lavender-haired deity stopped at nothing to try and put Rika and Keiichi together, much to the bluenette's annoyance. It started with simple nudging that forced the two next to each other physically, whether they were deciding where to sit or when they were about to leave after a long school day. This usually left Rika blushing and Keiichi giving casual apologizes to the bluenette.

But then came the comments.

Hanyuu would subtly - or not so subtly depending on awareness - leave suggestive remarks on how Rika, a beautiful young princess, would look even cuter with a charming prince who'd stay by her side eternally, or how Rika desperately needed a handsome male hero to pull her out of "lonely street" and guide her over to "lovely street". There were all kinds of statements thrown out revolving around Rika and Keiichi as a perfect couple.

She even tried shifting everyone's attention over to Keiichi to clarify the implications. That, and Hanyuu simply wanted to humor herself in unadulterated amusement from her young descendant's reaction. Obviously, Rika knew, and she was none too pleased about it.

Shion Sonozaki, a long, green-haired teenage girl of mischief who had a knack for teasing others, understood quite easily and was very much entertained by the suggestive comments.

Her tomboyish, older twin sister, Mion Sonozaki, would simply keep quiet and blush in response. She was very sensitive and helpless against the ropes of romance. **[4]**

Rena Ryuuguu, another female teenager with auburn-hair who reveled in all things cute, would let her imagination run wild and gush over the small bits about Rika being a princess before making attempts to take the blue-haired child home. Unfortunately for her (and fortunately for everyone else), she never succeeded.

For Satoko Houjou, a notorious prankster who had a tendency to piss the hell out of most people through her snares, she would give a tilt of her head off to the side and stare questioningly at Hanyuu. Unlike the wiser and mentally-older Furude duo, the blond child was too young and innocent to understand the concepts of romantic love, so she was often left perplexed at Hanyuu's jokes.

As for the boy in question? Much to Rika's bafflement, Keiichi Maebara was entirely oblivious to what was going on. Every single time, he'd brush everything off with a hearty laugh laced in subtle puzzlement, pointing out how funny Hanyuu could be when she joked around.

Rika felt torn with Keiichi's blatant responses. While part of her was relieved she wouldn't have to deal with him discovering her true feelings, there was another side screeching for the truth to be exposed. She didn't know why, but it hurt her deeply to see the brown-haired boy dismiss Hanyuu's suggestive remarks with his incomprehensive confusion.

And it wasn't just her ancestor's meddling that affected her usual behavior either.

Sometimes, moments between her and Keiichi spurred on naturally. There were times when Rika felt her knees weaken over the sight of Keiichi, and there were other instances where the two would accidentally graze each other's hands whenever they tried to pick something up.

Even the club activities they had together would throw her off balance. Rika was always distracted with her mixed thoughts of the boy, and it occasionally sent her on the breaking point of losing. She even lost a few games and suffered the penalty game for it.

Rika shook her head, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. _'What's happening to me? Why am I pestered continuously with that boy? Is he really that special... to me? I just don't understa- ack!'_

Then, as if right on cue, a sharp throb assaulted the boundaries of her sacred mind, making Rika wince in pain. The troubled Furude grabbed onto one of her temples, her hand rubbing it soothingly. As she did so, flashes of images played in her head, and Rika ended up wide-eyed in shock. That was when she started to remember.

There was a time - a distinct memory Rika Furude could now recall so vividly. It happened roughly around the earlier years of her eternal anguish, where she wasn't the stoic, judgmental, full-fledged spinster who was trapped inside a child's body, but rather an innocent hatchling that lacked complete understanding of the world and its spiteful hardships.

Back then, as a young little girl, Rika had a much harder time adjusting to her time-looping prison, even with a supportive Hanyuu by her side. She often cried because of it almost every time. Everyone around, naturally, was very concerned over Rika's melancholic behavior and would offer her their assistance, before being met with a polite rejection from the bluenette. No one could fantom why Rika was always so sad, and it pained them to see that they couldn't help in any way.

But then came the other lot who were less affectionate. There were those who grew vexed over Rika's constant wailing, resulting in verbal lashing sent out at the child angrily. Some people simply wanted her to shut the hell up, but there were those who thrived over the sick notion of tormenting the weak- and they had Rika placed as their prime target on the list.

Once, on a sunny day just two weeks before Hinamizawa's annual Watanagashi festival, Rika settled alone on a long bench, licking away the blueberry ice cream in hand without any care in the world. At that time, she currently resided in Okinomiya, parked near a motionless ice cream truck. She happily laved in the warming sun, taking no heed to the murky puddles that stained the smooth but dirty grounds as a result of the rainy weather prior. Just when the blissful girl was close to finishing her delectable frozen treat, trouble arrived.

Another female child around her age - who could have been an Okinomiya denizen, or one of her classmates who so happened to be in the area; _hell_, it might've even been Satoko - approached Rika with a cruel sneer. She smacked away the ice cream in Rika's hands, sending it crashing deep to the ground.

The beaming expression Rika held before quickly contorted into a pain-stricken look as she watched the splattered remains of her ice cream dissolve into an abnormal-blue pond, its wafer body cracked into millions of pieces that accessorized the colorful mess. At first, Rika sniffed. Then, her eyes watered in hot tears. And lastly came the angel's weep.

Rika struggled with wiping away the streaming tears that leaked out of her optical spheres tremendously, and she failed to prepare herself for her bully's next actions. The mean-spirited child yanked Rika off her feet, before hurling her off face-flat to the decaying remnants of the blueberry ice cream. Rika's whole front was painted in her sweet dessert's blood, and the Furude girl sobbed even louder.

The bully retaliated aggressively. She marched over to her fallen victim before repeatedly kicking her. With each kick to her abdomen, with each stomp to her back, and with even a disgusting spit to the back of her hair, Rika was subjected to immense physical abuse, which resulted in her shrieking miserably as her tormentor snarled harmful remarks about her being too much of a crybaby to live.

Eventually, the little rascal grew bored and went on home, though not before forcing another speck of saliva over to her victim's temple. Rika whimpered lightly as she laid flat on her back, watching the skies carry on in their cheerful conduct with anguish written all over her appearance. Her bosoms puffed over and over, and her breathing heaved rapidly.

Just when it seemed like the azure-haired child would once again burst into heart-aching howls of distress, she picked up the sound of soft footsteps. Rika forced herself up on her bottom and rotated her head off to her right side, preparing herself for what other torment was to come. Her clear vision was met with a mysterious new figure.

The person appeared male, possessing short chocolate hair bundled in a ruffled globe as well as deep-blue spheres that reminded Rika of the vast seas of the ravishing oceans. He crouched down to Rika's level and locked the bluenette in a warm embrace. Rika did nothing to resist and simply stared at the boy.

For once, Rika didn't feel like crying. She felt a sense of welcoming elation emit off her comforter's invisible aura - so unlike the usual hostile resentment or unneeded sympathy from those around her. Her small form loosened, assimilated in the fuzzy solaces of this young individual, who made her feel... _loved_. Rika felt her heart race and her face heat up a deep shade of red as she slowly surrendered to the heavenly robust torso of whom could easily be mistaken for an angel.

And that was when realization dawned on Rika. She knew this man. She was familiar with who he was: a new, charismatic transfer student from Tokyo who had acquainted himself quite well with the peaceful residents of Hinamizawa and Okinomiya. As Rika fully submitted to her comforter's selfless love, as the stained dry tears of her face evaporated, the Furude Princess uttered softly,

_"...Keiichi...?"_

_"Yeah, it's me," Keiichi grinned confidently, causing Rika's heart to flutter. Keeping an arm hung around the child's back, he raised his other hand over to her head before ruffling it kindly. "Y'know Rika-chan, it's illegal to cry around Keiichi Maebara. No beautiful girl around my presence should ever be trapped in the cold chains of sadness. And you're no exception to this."_

_"M... me... You think I'm... beautiful...?" questioned Rika in pure shock._

_Keiichi suspended his chin up-high, his smile growing wider. "Of course! You're the most beautiful of them all, and I'm honored to be associated with you." he flashed a thumbs-up. "I promise to always make you feel special, and to make those who dare harm you drink my piss. You can count on that!"_

_Rika's lips curled into a broad beaming expression, a complete contrast to her usual frowns of misery. She even giggled lightly over his promises._

_"Yeah, THAT'S more like it, Rika-chan," Keiichi lifted Rika off her butt gently, keeping her in a caressing hold. His red vest was smudged with the sticky blood of the deceased blueberry ice cream, though that didn't deter the boy's focus on Rika. "All cute girls should give cute smiles, and since you're the cutest, you'll have to be extra, extra happy. It's a challenge, but I'm sure you can pull it off."_

_"Mii hi hi..." a tittering Rika wiggled shyly in his bridal embrace, blushing. "I'll try."_

_Keiichi brought her closer to his chest. "That's all I ask. You should always stay positive from here on out. Now, let's go get you some new ice cream. I'll even buy one for myself, so we can have fun together that way."_

_"N... nnii... nniiiii... nipaaahhhh~!"_ **[5]**

Breaking out of her trip down memory lane, the present-day Rika Furude blinked blankly to herself before giving a light shake to her head. In highsight, that distinctive spectacle between her and Keiichi seemed incredibly cliche, awfully similar to a child's infantile fantasy. And - oh, _Holy Hanyuu_ \- she couldn't even get herself started on how _corny_ Keiichi sounded when he spoke to her at that time. **[6]**

Though Rika still cherished the moment in spite of the corny reminiscence. To her, it was one of the greatest memories she recollected out of that temporal hell.

Keiichi was there to help her. He didn't question her dejected behavior, nor did he pry into her business, and he certainly didn't react to her in hostility. No, he simply treated her with tender affection, complimenting the positive, innocent attributes she once possessed back then and spoiling her rotten with various edible sweets.

That boy was a major factor in her life. He was her inspiration to push forward - to always stay positive and happy, and to never forget the loving companions she would always have by her side. He was the one who taught her _love_. He was the reason why she even came up with her "Nipah" catchphrase in the first place.

Rika, once again, traced her thoughts back to those earlier years.

Following that ice cream incident, she and Keiichi started to hang out more often. The longer Rika associated herself with him, the more open she was with those around her. Her constant crying ceased, and in its place lied inhumane rhapsody akin to Keiichi's, though more child-like and charming in terms of cuteness.

All the mixed persistent concerns and merciless bullying everyone shot at her disintegrated. The denizens praised and swooned over the reformed bluenette, who was very grateful to be blessed with their kindness over their asperity, though there was only one person - a certain brown-haired boy whose name started with 'K' - she would ever respect the most.

Sadly, her eternal prison couldn't leave well enough alone. It wasn't long before the village was suddenly infested with toxic gases. Rika and Keiichi miraculously escaped the disaster that slowly rotted their home and their loved ones in agonizing death, sprinting off into the woods together to leave Hinamizawa - only to run straight into Takano and her Yamainu legions. From there, Keiichi was shot to death and Rika was disemboweled at the front of the Furude Shrine.

Rika hissed lowly under her breath. Things took a dark turn around those years, and it only worsened in time. She grimly recalled how persistent she was in retracting those cherished moments following her tragic death that day. She did everything she could to escape her fate and to reunite with Keiichi again.

The latter wasn't an issue. Keiichi remained the same, blunt-but-caring-and-reliable guy he had always been throughout Rika's peril. It was easy to get well-acquainted with him; there were so many instances where Rika managed to convince Keiichi in helping out with her unmoving advances. Despite all her admirable endeavors, however, Rika's efforts were left futile. In every action she took, her confinements would find baffling ways to counter.

Her tussles ticked to weeks, stretched to months, and eventually expanded to dreadful years, and by then, Rika broke down in exhaustion. The bluenette stopped reaching out to Keiichi, and the outer, overwhelming joy she created with his help devolved into a sugarcoated and bland facade, used solely to ease any arousing suspicions that potentially placed her secrecy at risk.

Nothing else notable happened afterwards. All Rika did for most of her century was endure, passively taking on the adversities that dare struck her ruthlessly. She stopped trying to inform Keiichi of her troubling dilemma. With the unalterable results that came out of her desperate cries for Keiichi's help, there simply wasn't any point to even bother.

That, and she didn't want him to experience the same pain she had to burden herself. No one deserved to be sentenced to the cruel punishment of having to relive life only to die over and over, and Keiichi most certainly wasn't fitting for that.

The shrine maiden of Hinamizawa also opted not to turn to any of her other friends either. If Keiichi couldn't do it, neither could they.

Through it all, a solemn Hanyuu, who expressed nothing but pity for her descendant, stuck to Rika, using her divine powers to repeat the same month over and over, just for the sake of hopelessly waiting for a miracle.

And it would only be a hundred years later when hope in the form of Keiichi, as well as her other friends, resurfaced and inspired her to endeavor again, only this time succeeding after assembling together as a group and planning out their survival accordingly.

_'It's sad how I could forget the special bond I once held with Keiichi in those times. And it's tenfolds as depressing when I actually considered the notion that I'd be better off without him or those happy recollections in my torment.' _mused Rika.

The Furude Princess' optics drooped slightly. _'Oh, well. It's reassuring that, despite my horrendous actions, Keiichi was willing to save me from my prison through his miracles and words of wisdom. Despite succeeding one hundred years, the boy's undying will and compassion never ceases to amaze me. Not once has he given up on me. I feel... touched; truly touched... perhaps, for once, Hanyuu was right. Maybe I am in love with Keiichi Maebara. He has always been there for me the most. As my hero, as my guardian, as my-'_

"Rika!"

Pulled out of her musings once more, Rika Furude reacted in a violent jolt, her ears groaning over the sharp address of her name. The sapphire-haired child fizzed piercingly to herself as she placed a caring hand over one ear. She wheeled her face over to her right, her clear vision taking in a slightly-agitated blond subject staring right at her.

Satoko Houjou narrowed her magenta orbs, revealing more of her irritation. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"

"No," Rika acknowledged flatly, not bothering to hide her adult voice as she kept a stone expression on her face. _'And I'm not sure I want to either, not after how you scared the life out of me just now.'_

Fortunately for Rika, Satoko didn't take note of her deep-toned voice. With pinchable cheeks puffing up in balloons, her fanged friend huffed exasperatedly, "Oh, come on! You know how much I hate repeating myself, Rika! And to think, I tried so hard to explain to you the complexities and creativity of my newest creation, too," the little blonde crossed her arms in pouty fashion as she sunk her head lower to her shoulders. "Humph!"

Hanyuu, walking next to Rika's other side, gave a consoling smile at the sulking Satoko. "Au, au, au, it's okay, Satoko. You can always _show_ Rika your new trap."

"Yeah, I guess," Satoko cheered up slightly.

The three were close to reaching the branch school they attended daily. As they caught sight of the rural building, Rika's orchid pearls squinted, focusing on the broaden trail that led to the white-door entrance hooded with a dead green roof.

A strange rich-purple carpet, bordered in gold, sat in front, appearing completely out of place with the school structure's usual attire of mahogany and dull green colors. Rika blinked blankly. "What's with the carpet?"

"Oh, ho, ho! Now you're curious," grinned Satoko, eyes gleaming in mischief. She covered her lips with one hand in a snobbish manner, "That right there is my masterpiece. Hidden under the carpet is a traphole, deep enough for its victim to crawl out of, though not before being greeting to a... nasty surprise. Oho ho ho ho ho!"

_'That's not complex or creative at all. Isn't she always making shit like this on a daily basis? I mean, the carpet's new, but still. Originality is clearly lacking here.'_ immediately, Rika's adult mind began to nitpick at Satoko's so-called masterpiece.

Outwardly however, through the child voice she often used to go along with her adolescent masquerade, the bluenette simply pointed out, "Hmmm... sorry, sir. But you've made better snares before. I don't see how this one is special."

Satoko scoffed, "I _did _tell you about the surprise inside the traphole, but - _ooooh no_ _-_ you _had_ to go off and ignore this amazing Trap Master's elaborate explanation, and for that, you will just have to see the surprise for yourself. Consider it a punishment for disrespecting the almighty trap expert."

Rika sweatdropped. _'Vanity has met its match.'_

"Okay, moving on," Satoko continued. "It took me the rest of afternoon yesterday to set this all up. You have no idea how taxing it was to find what I needed to put in the hole, so you better be grateful for this, Rika. I've also made sure to inform everyone of my work ahead of time just so they don't trigger it by accident. Right now, they're taking the back window into the school. All our classmates know what to do... well, except for a certain _peasant_ who I'm positive will fall in, hue hue hue~"

In response, Rika simply rolled her eyes. It was mind-boggling how Satoko never grew tired of her own antics. Her pranks were amusing in the first few worlds she'd been into, but later on, they grew to be boring and bothersome. Added in with the seldom amount of times she got caught in Satoko's snares, it was a miracle how Rika could tolerate it all under her fake persona.

Hanyuu, on the other hand, applauded and cheered, "Yay! Au, au, au. I'm sure your trap will do great, Satoko."

The blonde bowed mockingly. "Thank you, thank you. But please, Hanyuu-san, save your applause for when my greatest work is sprung into action."

"Alright then," Hanyuu nodded in confirmation before glancing over to her lapis-haired relative. The innocent smile she donned widened to her cheeks as it sullied in playful diablerie.

Her descendant's optics sharpened sternly, not taking kindly to the all-knowing grin sent her way. Lately, Hanyuu had done nothing but tease her over Keiichi constantly. Not a shed of decency exuviated from her actions. Rika felt pessimistic suspicion arise. That creampuff-loving child was no doubt up to something mischievous, and whatever it was, Rika didn't like it one bit.

And she was even ready to preempt on that. "Okay, Hanyuu. I've played long enough. Stop your childish games. I don't know what kind of stunt you have in mind, but I suggest you put an end to this nonsense or I'll-"

"Hey, look!" Satoko interrupted, pointing a stretched finger out in the distance. "They're coming; _he's _coming."

Hanyuu and Rika both broke off their staring contest before glancing to where Satoko directed. The grinning lilac-haired goddess bobbed her head approvingly while her next of kin froze stiffly.

From afar, four figures - a male alongside three females, all teenagers - trekked their way up to the school. Two of them looked identical, with the glaringly obvious exception of different emerald-colored hairstyles and clothing. The other female had shoulder-length reddish-brown hair, appearing to be the shorter in the group height-wise. Lastly, there was the tallest of them all, the boy in his sweet sixteen.

Rika Furude felt her heart skip a beat. She kept her eyes glued to the advancing young man, who possessed short burnt-umber hair that captivated its audience through affluent aspects. His orbs radiated massive quantities of ultramarine, retaining the best of oceans in its tight, optical grasp. His toned arms exposed its well-defined muscles as his bulky shoulders and chest bulged through its red undershirt and white collared-shirt layers.

With flushed cheeks heating up gradually, Rika thought to herself absentmindedly, _'K... Keiichi...'_

"Man, this sucks," Keiichi Maebara grumbled, stomping the ground with slamming feet. "Why can't time go any faster? I just want to get school done and go home. Or go to Angel Mort. Whichever works."

Rena Ryuuguu gazed softly at her disgruntled friend, concerned and saddened. "Haauu... it isn't like Keiichi-kun to be so moody. Usually, he looks forward to attending school. What's troubling him, I wonder, I wonder?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," responded Keiichi abrasively. **[7]**

Before Rena could press on, dramatic laughter ferociously stabbed the air, nearly deafening the travelling teenagers. Keiichi and Rena glanced over to their right, met with the sight of a cackling girl with leaf-colored hair tied in a ponytail. The girl chimed provocatively, "Nyaha ha ha ha ha! Kei-chan's rather salty today. Must be from all those times where he always had to suffer the penalty game."

"Shut up, Mion. You and your stupid rigged games," Keiichi glared.

Mion Sonozaki stuck her nose up and smiled smugly as her teal orbs clashed with the boy's blue ones. "Keep feeding this old man your tears. It makes Uncle Mion happy."

The aggrieved Keiichi scowled back more intensely. For the past few weeks, he had been subjected to unbridled horrors as a result of losing almost all the club activities. There were times where he was given a break whenever Rika lost (and there was that one time where he actually won and gave the girls their overdue comeuppance), but even then, those occasions happened so scarcely and it was only a matter of time before he was sentenced back to his loser status.

Being the leader of the Gaming Club, Mion spared no expenses dishing out his punishments. She forced Keiichi to sport various girly outfits bought just for him, some of them more revealing and suggestive than others. Once, Keiichi had no choice but to wear a pink bikini and strike many poses that left others around him questioning his sexuality.

Keiichi shuddered over the gruesome thought. Most of the girls in the club were brutal, especially Mion, who - for whatever obscure reason - took very sadistic pleasure in torturing the boy through cross-dressing measures. Lately, the elder Sonozaki twin had been paying a lot of special attention to her favorite victim, much to his disdain. Mion went so far as to even come up with a horrible nickname for him, calling him-

"Whipping boy!" Mion hollered, causing Keiichi to cringe over the loud volume. "Live up to your title as _"Magician of Words",_ and keep on ranting. You have such a way with words, even as a sore loser, and frankly, I wanna hear more of your petulant whining."

It took everything Keiichi had to hold in his scream.

Then, a new voice joined in on the conversation. The third and final teenage girl, with long lush emerald hair flowing down in a straightforward path to her curvy back, added in, "You have to admit, Kei-chan. Although Onee is extremely critical about it, she makes a valid point. You haven't exactly been doing a great job these past few weeks." **[8]**

"Oh, gee, I wonder why that is, Shion," Keiichi bristled before mumbling silently, _"...filthy cheaters..."_

Shion Sonozaki whipped her face left-to-right and flicked her hair, letting her dainty fingers graze the gold ribbon that tied strings of her hair down from the top rear. She simply winked back, not minding the dry sarcasm hurled at her.

The moping boy's optics cast below, leering at the opaque black puddle hitch-hiking alongside his feet. He wasn't sure if he could handle the abuse any longer. When he was first introduced to the club and its minimal, simplistic rules, Keiichi truly believed he could win at least one game. How reality proved him wrong.

He was left unaware of the way everyone purposely played unfair in the games- how they left distinctive marks on the cards to read off, how they all teamed up against him, or how they simply found other ways to deliberately make him lose- until it was too late. Keiichi Maebara, being the type to never give into submission, preserved his persistence and kept on participating in the club, determined to get the long end of the stick.

So far, his progress only lead to him winning a single, measly game, and that was only because Lady Luck was merciful.

_'Damn. These women love to torture me so much and it is downright frustrating. Oooooh, how I would LOVE to put Mion and Shion in their places right now.' _Keiichi thought angrily. _'And Satoko too. That brat definitely needs her just-desserts. I know I shouldn't be getting so upset over this, but my patience is running thin. I'm not sure how long I can tolerate these games anymore.'_

Keiichi's anger slowly melted, replaced with disheartened sadness. _'The only people who don't ever mock me are Rena, Hanyuu-chan, and...' _his brooding paused shortly before continuing. _'...Rika-chan.'_

And from there, the Maebara boy's concave sulking came to a full halt. Rika Furude... those five tasty syllables always did roll smoothly off his tongue. Enunciating that single name alone was more than sufficient enough to brighten his day. Keiichi couldn't figure out why, but there was just _something_ special about that girl.

She knew how to cheer him up, with an effortless pat to the head drenched in words of encouragement. She knew how to make him feel proud of himself, praising him for his commitment to never stop trying in the Gaming Club, even if he barely achieved victory in a single game. And Rika knew what it was like to be scarred, to be burdened with so much pressure from the world.

That last bit was one Keiichi could see clearly, unlike all his other friends.

The boy remembered that unfortunate incident back in Tokyo: the reason why he moved to Hinamizawa in the first place. It wasn't a good time for him that day. Though he was the culprit in that incident, Keiichi was also a victim of harsh adversities.

He came across bullies who would diss him for being a loner, and he locked himself away into the cold solitude of isolation with no one but his remarkable grades in school to turn to. Not even his parents helped him out, only instead expecting him to improve in his academics.

Driven insane from those circumstances, Keiichi bought an airsoft gun through his allowance and began shooting people after school to ease his boredom. No one found out he was responsible. It wasn't that challenging to conceal his identity. Sneaking and hiding had great advantages. But no, it was what happened to his victims that left him guilty to his actions.

A young girl walked alone in the streets, with Keiichi stalking her every movement. Just as he pointed the airsoft gun at her, just when he pulled the trigger, she spun her head around and her eye was greeted to a breath-taking hug, courtesy of an airsoft pellet. Her screams of pain were so frighteningly lucid to the boy, and it was enough to make him realize what he had just done. Keiichi quickly ran home and researched what would happen if a person got hit in the eye with airsoft ammunition.

The results left him horrified: Permanant blindness.

From that point on, Keiichi and his parents moved away. He confessed his crimes to his mother and father. Both his guardians, naturally, were upset, but they chose not to lash out at him for it. Deep down, they felt it was their own fault for not batting an eye at their son when he needed help. Keiichi's father stumbled upon a brochure of a quiet town named Hinamizawa, a peaceful village he once went to for sight-seeing, and that was all he needed to plan where his family should go.

The rest was ancient history. Keiichi changed his ways, vowing to never commit similar atrocities he performed in Tokyo ever again and to be the Keiichi Maebara he should have been before. He went over to Hinamizawa and attended its small campus, where he met all the fourteen students that would remain as his classmates for a long time. Keiichi was most acquainted with the female members of the Gaming Club, adjusting well with their unorthodox lifestyle.

Most of the girls in the club he met were nice and amicable to be around, but there was only one out of them all who caught the most attention from him: a young girl with ultramarine hair, seemingly Hinamizawa's cute, bubbly, and innocent idol who went by the name Rika Furude. However, one look into her eyes and Keiichi saw something else.

Pain. Whereas the denizens of all Hinamizawa and Okinomiya saw fresh life sparkle brightly, Keiichi spotted pure agony glisten dimly. Everyone bought the plastered fake smile on her face hook, line, and sinker; all but Keiichi. He saw through the false pretenses and found an ashen old woman trapped in chains, reaching out to him helplessly to escape.

Keiichi felt pity for her. He knew what it was like to be imprisoned. The more his blue orbs collided with Rika's violet ones, the more relation and understanding Keiichi sensed between himself and the child. Both of them were confined against the world's sour truth; its veracity feeding on their freedom and happiness.

They were like two birds marked in bleeding scratches harsh reality had unleashed upon them, locked away in cages, kept hidden in cold shrouding darkness and forced away from the warm light. The duo could only sit in their confinements together and watch the whole world around them decay into dust.

There was something else too. Rika seemed to know fully well who he was. He recalled their first initial meeting in the school, the time where she addressed him by his name before he even had a chance to introduce himself.

It was so strange, yet... uplifting? For whatever reason, Keiichi felt a sense of happiness blossom inside him, almost as if he wanted her to recognize him. And somehow, he also sensed the signs of familiarity that linked him and Rika together, as if he met her a long time ago. Keiichi couldn't place his finger on it. No doubt in his mind he somehow knew Rika from a distant time, though the frustrating lack of memories centered around that connection prevented him from pressing further.

_'Maybe I should go talk with Rika-chan later, sometime when school's over. I haven't really interacted with her that much anyway, and it'd be great for me to get answers on what's going on between us.' _Keiichi considered carefully as his optics looked up absentmindedly. _'Hopefully she isn't absent.'_

"Mii!"

The next thing Keiichi knew, he was suddenly tackled by a barreling blur that nearly sent him down on the ground. He felt smooth, organic branches wrap around his waist lovingly. His footing faltered slightly, but not enough to collapse, so thankfully, the boy managed to prevent himself from falling.

Keiichi redirected his sharp eyes downward. His optical pupils pinpointed the origins of his assailant: a small petite figure with a vibrant curtain of lapis-lazuli cascading down to her delicate back, her spellbinding violet orbs scintillating in a confusing mood - mixed between happiness and subtle concern - as they stared back at its captive's orbs.

Recognizing the same, two optical spheres that never once ceased in fascinating him, the chocolate-haired teenager addressed kindly, "Rika-chan, hey! Great to see you!"

"Miii~" Rika clung onto the boy, her arms tightening around his waist in tender grasp. She buried her face into his smooth stomach, nestling it affectionately as she uttered in a muffled voice, "It's good to see you too, sir."

Around them, the other girls eyed Keiichi and Rika with interest.

Rena swooned over how cute her two friends looked together and was on the verge of falling into her signature "take-it-home" mode. Shion cocked an eyebrow, mildly dubious with what was going on. Satoko and Hanyuu, who weren't too far from the group, also shared different reactions. The former was very confused - and slightly embarrassed - over the scene before her while the latter simply stared at Rika and Keiichi with an all-knowing smile.

Dissimilar to her companions' responses, however, Mion appeared vexed, not liking the scene before her one bit. Though the club leader wisely refrained from making a scene. Coating her envious irritation with smug laughter, she quipped warningly, "Ha ha ha! Be careful, Rika-chan. I wouldn't cling onto whipping boy like that. You might get a case of his loser disease."

"Mi-chan, no," Rena, snapping out of her euphoric state, smacked Mion harshly upside the head, earning a loud yelp from the elder twin. "Don't be nasty to Keiichi-kun or Rika-chan."

"I don't know, Onee. Based off her previous losses in the past few weeks, I'd say she's already got it," remarked Shion. In seconds, she, too, received a nice firm slap to the back of her head. "_Ye-ow!_ Rena-chan!"

Satoko hauled her attention away from Keiichi and Rika before glancing over to Shion, the glitters in her optics brightening joyously. She rushed to the younger twin recovering from her headsmack and embraced her lovingly. "Shion-san!"

Giggling lightly to herself, Shion reciprocated the affectionate gesture. "Hah, hah. Nice to see you too, Satoko-chan."

"I know I've said this an absurd amount of times, but it's _really _great to have you here. Good of you to transfer over to our school after that whole fiasco with Takano-san." Satoko broke the hug, flashing a beaming smile.

"Yeah," Shion laughed. "You've been bugging me a lot to attend school with you around that time, and well, who was I to deny the request of my surrogate little sister?"

The blonde blushed in response.

"Mmmmm..." Rika hummed fondly, pulling her face off of Keiichi's stomach. She aimed her soft gaze at the boy in front of her before commenting, "...something wrong, Keiichi?"

Keiichi blinked, his mind fuddled in intoxicated bemusement over the sudden question. "What?"

"You are upset about something. I can see the rancor dancing in your pupils clear as day," elaborated Rika. Her pupils fluctuated in size as her eyelids drooped. "I hope I'm not the source of your problem."

The male in his sweet sixteen waved his hands wildly in a surrender gesture, flinching over the bluenette's dejected appearance. "Oh, no, no, no! There isn't any issues I have with you, Rika-chan. And I'm not that upset either. It's just-" he fired a resentful frown at Mion. "-an _itch _I have a hard time scratching that's been _bugging _me. Never knows when to _quit_."

Mion snorted.

Rika's deflated countenance arose in high spirits. She hid her arms behind her back, allowing both her hands to intertwine.

The indigo-haired girl's eyes straightened and reverted back to their zest nature. "Ah, yes. A twitch of an itch, gripping the power to quiver one's serenity so aggressively. Sure sounds troublesome, that-is-so. Hmmm... well, I know a friend who deals with this kind of difficulty daily. If I remember him well, I would imagine him to focus more on what makes him most happy and just leave the itch alone until it departs. Itches only feed themselves from discontentment, after all."

"Heh, heh, heh," Keiichi chuckled, completely aware of who she was referring to. Uplifted away from bitterness' acidic grounds, he felt his usual buoyancy gradually return. "Hey, you're right. Being negative is a no-go. It _is _better for me to look more into the positive side. Can't believe I forgot all about that. Thanks for reminding me, Rika-chan."

"No, thank you. You were the first to teach me such a lesson a long time ago. It's the least I can do to repay you for that. You pry me away from my itch, I pry you away from yours," Rika's lips stretched outwardly to her cheeks, forming a broad grin of pure innocence. "Nipah~!"

Everyone excluding Mion laughed wholeheartedly.

As for the club leader herself, her face flared beet-red in humiliation from being compared to an itch. The implications in Rika's last statement about _"prying Keiichi away from itches"_ only made her feel ten times worse. Wanting to change the subject and to get Rika and Keiichi to stop conversing with one another, Mion spluttered, "W- W- We should get going now! Off to class!"

The joyous howls ceased. Rena piped up, "Hauuu, definitely. It isn't good to be late to school."

"Ha ha ha! Race you all there," Keiichi darted towards the entrance of the school, oblivious to the surprise awaiting him there. "And while you're at it, kiss my ass, Mion!"

Mion glared daggers at the scampering boy. "Why you...!"

"Oh my. Keiichi is wasting no time, it seems, au au. Too bad. I wonder if he can prepare himself for what's about to happen next," Hanyuu, faking to be worried, stared at the male in question before averting her gaze over to Rika. Raillery flooded all over her gleaming orchid spheres. "I'm sure you know where I am going with this, Rika."

Her relative, adorned in a vibrant cataract of azure hair, paled tremendously. The thought of Satoko's special surprise began to rush through alarmingly in memory. "Oh, no..." and before she knew it, Rika's feet were already shuffling swiftly towards Keiichi, struggling to catch up. "Sir, wait! Don't go! Don't go!"

The rest of the girls stayed behind and simply watched Keiichi go. They were all well-informed of the snare hidden in front of the school, so wisely, neither of them followed the boy, not wanting to get caught in the trap. Though they were all somewhat surprised to see Rika pursue the boy, the other female club members shrugged off her actions, too engrossed with Keiichi and his potential failure to care.

Mion and Satoko sniggered together, excited to watch Keiichi fall in. Shion and Rena simply shook their heads, pitying the boy for his uncontrollable rashness. Hanyuu nodded approvingly at her descendant in haste.

"Keiichi, stop! No!" Rika called out frantically as she tried to reach the male teenager. Surprisingly, the child was making good progress. She had a lot of speed to go around by.

"Almost there. Oh, man. It's been so long since I've been this close to beating the other girls," Keiichi spotted a peculiar sight laying on the ground near the doors as he ran. "Huh. Nice carpet."

Satoko and Mion felt their cheeks puff up immensely.

"Ah, shit!" in an unexpected turn of events, Keiichi lost his footing and tripped. He hurtled onto the ground harshly, grunting in discontent as he landed.

The boy quickly picked himself back up on his feet. Brushing off the dust that dared clasp his school clothes, he heard roars of taunting laughter emit from behind; his ears perked upon hearing the two familiar voices in those laughs. Not bothering to glance back, Keiichi shouted, "Damn it, Mion! Satoko! Both of you just shove it. Wait until I'm the first to reach the entrance. We'll see who gets the last laugh then."

Both girls in question responded by cackling harder.

_'Achk! Why isn't he listening to me?! Oh, that boy and his reckless behavior, I swear.' _cursed Rika internally. She raced faster, marginally closing the large gap between herself and Keiichi. "Sir, sir! Miiiiiii!"

"Whew," Keiichi panted as he shook off the aftereffects of his plummet. Fortunately for him, the fall wasn't too severe. There wasn't even a single scrape on his body. The teenager with chocolate-colored hair persisted in getting to the school's entrance, this time advancing slowly. "I'm close to the doors, _hue_... No_\- hah-_ need to_\- huff-_ rush. All those_-_ _gasp-_ crazy girls... gonna lose..."

Through forces unexplained, Rika's sprinting feet picked up massive quantities of momentum, bolting towards Keiichi in lightning speed.

"And with this last step... marks the end of this race," the sixteen-year-old male youth was only a step away from his destination. He extended one hand out to the closed doorways, paying no heed to how close his feet were in stamping the inapposite carpet. "My victory is ensured."

His right foot was just centimeters above the rich fabric.

"Nnnnooooooooooooooooooooo!"

"Uhngh!"

_Splash!_

An enormous column of light-pink erupted from where the carpet once rested. Emerging as a strange and unidentifiable liquid, the rising pillar dispersed into showering rain, descending down on the motionless earth and school building in full glory.

One person was situated near the volcanic traphole that exploded. They sat on the dirt ground with eyes as wide as dinner plates, their gaping mouth nearly reaching down to their neck in shock.

All the other females that stood away from the incident in yonder were wide-eyed as well. They briskly scuttled over to the scene, letting their stomping feet jab the faint dust out of the terra firma repeatedly. Most of the girls catered to the pothole that served in place of the missing fabric, cringing for reasons unknown.

Only Rena tended to the shell-shocked person. "Haauuu, are you alright?"

"Yeah," nodded the fallen figure as Rena helped them spring up to their feet. "I can't believe what transpired just now. Did it really...?"

Rena displayed a gentle smile. "It did. I never saw it coming either. Who would have thunk a day like this would occur? A time where you don't fall into one of Satoko-chan's traps. Astounding, isn't it... Keiichi-kun."

"Understatement of the year," Keiichi, now revealed to be the person in mystery, admitted truthfully. He glanced over to the small crater in concern. "I hope Rika-chan's okay. That trap Satoko set up looked pretty intense."

Seconds later, a high-sonic screech busted out from the deep opening. Everyone around had either recoiled in trembling alarm, or had covered their sensitive ears to protect their hearing. Keiichi rose on his feet posthaste and strode over to the pit-trap, with Rena accompanying him from his right.

The two joined their friends and inspected the screaming hole. Their noses were instantly clogged in a miasma of overwhelming aroma, leaving them to swallow the threatening urges to puke.

Inside, there emerged a seething Rika Furude, drenched in faint rose-colored liquid. Her school clothes were saturated to the hilt, and her flooding-cerulean hair was sullied. Rika pinched her nose tightly as she floated in the aberrant pond, screaming, "Oh, god! Hot sauce and _rotten milk?!_ Ugh! You have got to be kidding me! Some of it managed to seep in my mouth! _Bleh!_"

All the other club members scrunched their noses in disgust, using their thumbs and fingers to seal any open entrance off for the unwelcome stench. Satoko, fuschia orbs glimmering in guilt, shot a fixed look of remorse at her best friend. "Sorry, Rika. I didn't mean for this to happen to you."

"Well, it did! Inconceivable! _Egad!_" a sickening shade of green eclipsed the Furude Princess' face. Firmly keeping one hand placed on her compressed nose, Rika moved her other hand and swung it vigorously through the floundering mixture of spicy condiments and decaying dairy. She upraised the reeking liquid towards Satoko, spraying her clumsily. "Have a taste of your own crap! Damn it, someone get me out of here!"

Satoko squealed shrilly, flinching over the warm wet touch of concocted fluids that assaulted her green dress harshly. The snare specialist stumbled back.

Keiichi reacted the quickest. He crouched down, bent over, and stretched an open hand out to the irate bluenette, who blatantly swam closer and accepted the open fist in moment's notice. Grabbing onto the small appendage securely, the brown-haired boy levered Rika up, keeping her suspended in midair momentarily before helping her out of the deep hole.

The child with lapis-lazuli hair let out a low hiss, mumbling inaudibly to herself as she wiped off the little remains of hot-sauced milk that dawdled down her arms and legs. Rika grabbed a handful of her indigo mane and distorted it in a tight braid, squeezing out the parasitic fluids that soaked her hair through heavy twisting.

She then dug into her backpack and pulled out a metallic water bottle, which she used to guzzle down on, drowning out the grotesque stale tastes invading her mouth.

Placing the now half-filled container back in her bag, she glanced down at the crater in contempt, momentarily eyeballing the stained carpet that wafted mindlessly through the foul-smelling pond.

After that, Rika shifted her focus back to Keiichi, who had taken a few steps back away from her so not as to be caught in her circle of rage. Any residuals of lingering anger dissipated from Rika entirely. Her scornful visage alleviated, and at the same time bringing life to a more appreciative, lighthearted look on her face. She said graciously, "Thanks for helping me out, Keiichi. I knew I could count on you."

Keiichi, sitting down on one knee, sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Ah, ha ha. It was nothing," and at that precise moment, veins suddenly popped out near the sides of his head, throbbing strenuously. Bothered tremendously by the dull aching, he clutched onto his head, cringing as he groaned, "..hnnghh... nhhh..."

The other girls noticed his ordeal, scrutinizing him with worry in their eyes. Hanyuu asked in concern, "Au, au, is everything okay, Keiichi?"

At first, Keiichi didn't respond. Though after half a minute of silent waiting, the boy withdrew his hand away from his head, no signs of pounding vessels nor a strained expression evident on any part of his face. He smiled reassuringly, "Yeah, it was only a small migraine. Nothing too bad."

"Alright then," Shion started, changing the subject as she tended to Satoko, who appeared discomfited over her stained dress. The feminine twin held her surrogate sister's hand protectively. "Now with that settled, we should probably go inside and help these little ones get cleaned up."

Rika shook her head over Shion's offer, politely declining, "Mii, no thank you, sir. I'll clean myself later, but right now, I need to speak to KeiKei alone." **[9]**

The brown-haired teenager in question shot a bemused look at Rika, puzzled over her desideratum. He couldn't help but wonder what she needed him alone for.

As a perplexed Keiichi wandered off thoughtfully in his cogitations, Mion stared at Rika in disapproval. "Ah-ah-ah, absolutely not. 'fraid I can't allow you to do that, Rika-chan. Class is starting soon, and you shouldn't be wasting your time chatting with Kei-chan."

"I won't hold Keiichi for too long. We'll be joining the rest of you soon," reassured Rika. "Even if both of us are late, it won't be that much of an issue to deal with."

Mion looked unconvinced. The club leader seemed bothered over the notion of Rika and Keiichi sharing a moment together. To her, it all spelled trouble. "Hmmm... nope. Sorry, but Uncle Mion doesn't endorse this."

"How unfortunate. But I'm still going to be stealing KeiKei away regardless," Rika stuck her tongue out playfully at Mion, giving a teasing wink. "Nothing personal. _Nipah~!_"

That taunt was more than enough to rattle Mion. With her nerves piqued, the elder Sonozaki thickened her sour frown. She marched over menacingly towards Rika, ready to forcibly usher her inside of the school.

Only for Rena to intervene in Rika's defense.

The redhead stepped in front of Mion, putting an end to her movements. "Hauu, Mi-chan. If Rika-chan wants alone time with Keiichi-kun, then you should leave her be." she re-examined her words carefully afterwards, and fell in a flustered squirming mess. "H- Ha- Hau! Alone time, Rika-chan and Keiichi-kun... haauuuu~"

"Yeah, okay," Mion tried to snake past her excited friend. "I'm just gonna stop Rika-chan now."

_"No!" _before she had the chance to slip through, Mion felt her feet elevate off the ground promptly. She found herself laying on top of a stiff shoulder, her arms and legs dangling about loosely. Rena kept a fastened arm wrapped around Mion's slim waist as she responded vehemently, "Rena will not allow Mi-chan to be mean. Everyone, let's go on inside and leave Rika-chan to do her own business."

Mion kicked and punched the air, demanding briskly, "Argh! Release me!"

The auburn-haired girl, unfazed by her friend's violent endeavors for freedom, glandered to Rika with a nod of approval before revolving her attention back to the school building. Rena strutted around to the back with her swinging schoolbag and Mion in safe hands, ignoring her captive's tenacious clamors as she casually avoided the trap blocking the usual entrance inside. The other girls, Rika not included, followed soon after.

"Heh, heh, heh. That was amusing," chuckled Keiichi. Not too long ago, he was brought out of his contemplation just in time to see Mion being carried away. He watched his friends go off, keeping his optics primarily aimed at Rena and the fuming Mion hoisted on her shoulder.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," a smug Rika smirked evilly. "I doubt I will ever fathom how Rena can possess such tremendous strength, but I'm not complaining. Good of her to take care of Mion for me. Speaking of which..."

The well-pleased child gloatingly waved goodbye to Mion, who had been glowering back at her. In response to the sardonic gesture sent directly at her, Mion let out an appalled gasp before struggling harder, repeatedly slamming her fists down Rena's back as the volume of her protests increased. "Why you cheeky little raccoon! Wait until we start club activities; you'll be _sorry_ when I make you lose!"

Everyone else accompanied the humming Rena and malcontent Mion, ignoring the non-stopping barrage of screams sent pass them.

Hanyuu hauled herself closer to Satoko and Shion. The lavender-haired child leaned into the blonde's ear and whispered, "Thanks for doing what I asked you to do. I knew Rika would take the bait."

"Don't mention it," Satoko flashed a toothy grin in reply. "I'm more than glad to assist Rika. And Keiichi-san too. That guy's a great addition to have in our group. I respect him a lot, and really admire him as a person," the trap expert's magenta orbs leaned off to the side as her cheeks flushed. "Just... don't go telling Keiichi-san that. He'll never let me hear the end of it if word got out."

"Au, au, au," chirped Hanyuu. "Something tells me he already knows. Ha ha! But for your own sake, I'll heed to your request."

Satoko looked up thoughtfully. "Still, I kinda wish Keiichi-san actually fell into my special surprise snare. It just isn't as fun when somebody other than him triggers my traps."

Having overheard the little ones' murmurs, Shion decided to chime in, "You don't need to wish for that, Satoko-chan. I'm sure Kei-chan will fall in your pit-trap sooner or later."

"Hey, yeah," Satoko grinned deviously at Shion. "He pretty much falls into my traps on a daily basis. There's no _way_ he'd be able to avoid this one. Maybe I should use something less conspicuous then that carpet to lure him in though. How does a dead patch of grass sound? Keiichi-san's gullible enough to fall for that."

The trio laughed and carried on, catching up to their other two friends in front.

Meanwhile, Rika and Keiichi were situated together at the face of the school, all alone with no one around to intrude. Rika was beaming ecstatically at Keiichi, much to his puzzlement over her cheery comportment. Her arms hid behind her back playfully, her heels hopped over and over in excitement while her toes remained attached to the ground, and her eyes dilated, revealing more of her sparkling orchid bubbles.

"So, uhh," Keiichi began awkwardly. Not breaking out of his kneeling position, he kept himself close to Rika's level of height. "I see you're happy... to, erm, see me. And you want me alone, to talk."

"Yup!" Rika tweeted before giggling cutely, heavily entertained with the boy's nervous state. "Are you embarrassed to have a cute girl pull you over in private, sir? It's okay if that's the case. This isn't something that occurs naturally, especially for a boy like you. But you mustn't be so timid. This kitty cat doesn't bite. Nipah!"

Keiichi figited lightly, feeling chagrined. Though he couldn't resist revealing the bright grin that crept slowly on his facial features. There was never a single moment when Rika would ever fail at making him happy. He sniggered, "Yeah, I know better than to believe you would ever bite. I'm just very surprised, is all. So... what exactly _did_ you want me for?"

The Furude Princess stretched her vivacious smile ear-to-ear. She swayed towards Keiichi, moving in such blissful, elegant grace that would send any awe-stricken human being grovelling down at her feet. Rika stopped in her travels, grabbed Keiichi by his shoulders, and leaned in. She was inches away from his flushed face. "I want to thank you, Keiichi."

"Huh?" mumbled Keiichi, the heat on his cheeks cooling off. He plainly blinked in utter confusion as he went on ahead in his questioning. "Thank me for what? And why?"

Rika lifted one hand off from one of the male's shoulders and dragged it over to his head, patting the turts of his burnt-umber hair fondly as she answered, "For all the numerous things you've done for me when I needed help, and for always being the only one to really be there for me. I'm extremely grateful. Earlier from that surprise Satoko nearly pulled on you, I pushed you out of the way. That was me trying to repay you for your good deeds, though, ermm... obviously, I ended up needing you to get me out of trouble again, as usual."

"Hey, now that's okay, Rika-chan," Keiichi eased kindly, feeling Rika's patting hand slide back down to his open shoulder as he pressed on. "I am more than willing to assist you with anything in any way. No exceptions. There's no need to thank or repay me for it all."

"You're wrong," the sapphire-haired child shook her head. Her child-like voice deepened in tone, a swarm of solemnity invested her speech and crumbled any residual pieces of joy that stood in its way. She said maturely, "For me, it is necessary to express my gratitude. Believe me when I say you are a great significant part of my life. I would have never gotten this far in life without you. You're the best gift this world has ever given me."

Discernible astonishment made its way up Keiichi's face. "R.. Rika-chan..."

Refusing to acknowledge his great surprise, Rika persisted in talking. Her face heaved onward, gradually erasing the invisible force that blocked off the face of the young man before her.

The couple's cheeks flared in crimson, though Rika's manifested more intense heat. She said, "Lately throughout the past weeks of this new July, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, wondering without end over what you were to me. My first and grievest mistake in this conundrum was regarding you as a good friend, but now I start to see the truth clearly."

Keiichi gulped, irritably agonized by Rika's snail-snaking motion. It was as if time judged movement through observing the dragging hours. His mind already started to see where the whole situation was heading, but ignorance insisted on playing its part. "What do you mean? What truth?"

"You silly, silly boy," Rika felt her eyelids drape halfway as she puckered her lips slightly. "I'm saying that I don't view you as a platonic companion. I perceive you as someone who I can truly connect with in body and soul. In my clear perspective, you are my hero: the one who scorches my burdens with hopeful luminescence, my guardian: the one sent down from heaven's paradise to look out for me, and, you're the one my beating heart is drawn to..."

The bluenette halted her advances, her face standing just an apple's stem away from Keiichi. With the subtle movements of her lips, Rika Furude enunciated the conclusion of her finishing statement: the words that perfectly described her relations with the male visible in her unblinking vision, and the words that would, once and for all, uplift the curtains blinding Keiichi Maebara's cognizance of romance. "...my partner."

And at that moment, Rika pressed her soft lips against Keiichi's.

It was a kiss that had lasted no more than fifteen seconds at most. But that wasn't the case for the two kindred souls entwined through lip contact. For them, the display of affection stretched over to eternity's distant range. Rika pushed deeper, squeezing the smooth, slippery flesh that watered her own. She gripped onto Keiichi's shoulders in tender tightness as her lips sank deeper into the kiss.

A feminine groan of pleasure roped between the mouths of the duo, signaling the overwhelming passion and long overdue desire that pranced about.

Rika's viewpoint was pitch-black through the beginnings of this eventful moment, but halfway, her optics shot open in shock. Her body jolted, taken aback by the unexpected pressure from her lips that shoved her head rearwards. The child let out a muffled gasp before whimpering lightly, perceiving the strong, gentle, and warming soft arms coiling around her tiny waist cordially.

She couldn't believe what was transpiring. _'Keiichi... he's.. he's kissing back...'_

"Mmmm... mmmnnhh..." moans ejected from both parties, muffled voices of sonorous male and gentle female resonated in flawless unison. Rika felt the on-going surges of pure love intensify, plunging her in heated dizziness. She twisted and rotated her lips around in a myriad of directions, with Keiichi mirroring every one of her maneuvers perfectly as she did so.

The duo joined in mouth-to-mouth welcomed the oozing warmth together, happily sharing and partaking in the compelling magic that hopped vigorously around their connected lips through its exhilarating wild sparks.

Eventually, succeeding a fourth of a minute, Rika and Keiichi split away from their passionate parade of love, both puffing for air with raptured smiles plastered on their searing hot faces.

Keiichi gave a limped flash of his shiny white teeth. "Wow... uhmm... that was... incredible! I've never felt so _alive _before in my whole entire life. The more shocks I received, the more shocks I craved. It's as if euphoria clung onto me firmly and soared over to the vast beauties of the stars above; I wanted to explore and explore, never ending the adventure ahead."

"Excellent way to describe our new-found experience together, Magician of Words," Rika complimented. "Indeed, this feeling was an occurrence that should have been non-existent to reality, yet both of us joined as one and managed to create this enchanted spell. Amazing... once again, you brought your miracles to life."

"No, Rika-chan," laughed Keiichi. "_We _have brought this miracle to life. Together."

They both chortled. To them, their kiss was the prime epitome to life itself. Both parties felt the enormous rupture of jouissance explode from their hearts, its sizzling particles climbing up to their lips, blanketing them in cozy tenderness.

Keiichi and Rika could only quiver in pleasure as they recalled the caressing warmth transmit over to one another, tying them together in concerted snuggles. With that kiss, the couple felt whole, completed, united as one.

"I feel like a lone spirit conjoined with another soul possessing certain attributes, ones that blend and conflict amidst my own. I see you as the optimistic side of myself I've lost all those years ago, and as the courageous person whose valor defines you as your own individual," Rika used her dainty hands to knead Keiichi's shoulders. "You're the second half to my life, and I don't ever want to depart from you."

Keiichi's pupils and blue glimmering rings fixed at Rika's, enlarging in amazement. Doing his best not to submit against the easing massages, he grabbed onto the small pair of shoulders the bluenette carried around, squeezing them gingerly. "You really love me that much, Rika-chan?"

"Yes," the sole Furude heiress cheeped bashfully and boldly. Her amethyst spheres veered to her left, staring off in the open isolated environment of the campus. She croaked, "I do."

And it was then Keiichi noted a particular facet to Rika's outward appearance upon closer inspection. "Hey... are you crying?"

Beads of fresh salty tears moderately inundated the edges of her eyes. Bothered by the stinging heat around her optical spheres, Rika wiped off the looming tears with a simple wave of her hand across it, leaving a dried line of water tracing over her left eye and side of her face. She sniffed, "I suppose I am. But these are happy tears. This is the first time in so long since I've been able to indulge in genuine joy."

"Oh, now that's not an excuse, Rika-chan," Keiichi brought up bluntly. "You know better. You shouldn't be crying."

"H- Huh?" squeaked Rika. She stared at him with a look of confusion and slight shame, flinching over the abrupt scolding dished out.

"You heard me. No crying, even if it's tears of joy. I will not stand for it," Keiichi fleshed out. The boy placed his hands on his hips in a chastising manner, optics narrowing in slits. "Do you know why?"

The ultramarine-haired child simply shook her head, puzzled.

Keiichi's stern visage dissipated, replaced with a familiar grin that spoke confidence and reassurance.

His upbeat eyes widened in normal size, pupils enlarging and stretching to the tips of his folded eyelids. He raised his chin marginally and stated, "Oh, Rika-chan. I already told you this before and I'll tell you this again; you shouldn't be crying... because it's illegal to cry around Keiichi Maebara."

"Ehh?!" Rika was beyond shocked. Her jaw slacked, rendering her mouth a gaping mess. She couldn't believe what she just heard. Straight away, her mind was bombarded with missiles of questions, but Rika thankfully composed herself before she got too crazy, only giving away a simple query. "D- Do you know?"

"Do I know about me sweeping you up off the ground for ice cream when you got bullied in Okinomiya?" Keiichi's smirk broadened to his cheeks before he nodded, gently closing Rika's mouth. "Yeah, I do, and I also recall everything else beyond that. What was it you called your suffering; The Endless June? My, my, my, how you changed drastically. You're so precocious now! Shame you don't smile as much though. I always believed you looked best with a cute smile, even when you started faking it later on."

_'Events he went through in previous worlds are starting to reach back to him, exactly like that time when he recalled his sins of bludgeoning Mion and Rena to death, but...' _musing inward and inquiring outward, Rika stammered, "But how is it that you can recollect our beginnings together? It's been one hundred years since then. There's no way you could retract memories from that far."

"Remember when I had that migraine earlier today?" the male teenager watched Rika nod. He tapped the side of his head lightly. "There was more to it than that. You see, when it happened, flashes of images played in my mind, and almost immediately, I recognized it as lost memories that long since slipped away from my hands until recently. First, I saw you in that ice cream incident. Then, it was just the two of us sharing good quality time together. Later came Takano and her Yamainu."

Rika grimaced in thought. _'Of course! So just like me, Keiichi experienced a headache that triggered locked away memories of our origins. This must be the aftermath of the eternal summer's end. Instead of recalling our sins, we start to remember the good in our previous lives, the cherished moments our temporal prison had kept away from us for so long. Silly me, how come I didn't realize this sooner?'_

Keiichi paused briefly to release a pained hiss. Subsequently, he went on, this time more hesitant and careful in his words.

"It... wasn't very good for you, I can tell. You were depressed from the start and I succeeded in showing you what it was like to be happy, only for you to be plunged back into that angst and filled with even more hopelessness in the end," Keiichi slumped down in dejection. "I was only able to help you for a short extent during that time, and eventually you gave up on reaching to me. You know, I don't blame you for that. Not much progress was being made. I was just slowing you down... and for that, I'm sorry."

The guilt-stricken bluenette held the brown-haired boy's hands comfortingly, softly denying, "There's no need to apologize, sir. Never have I believed you were dragging me down. No, I stopped getting you to help me because I didn't want you to go through the same pain I was going through in my hundred years of endless torment. I thought it would have been best if you were kept in the dark. Irrationality blinded me from what I should have done before: to believe in my companions."

"Rika-chan, it wasn't-"

"No," Rika cut off tersely. She glanced down and grieved. "It _was _my fault. I was the one who cut all ties with you. Alienating myself off from the rest of the world turned out to be a very stupid choice. I should have trusted you and everyone else to help out."

Keiichi pulled Rika in for a hug as he argued, "It's perfectly normal to make mistakes at your age. You are very young, Rika-chan; still are to this day. The accursed Endless June caused you to grow up unnaturally as a human being."

Rika didn't break off the warm solacing embrace, though she scoffed with a dry retort, "You're still young too."

Things went silent after that. The fresh air was polluted in unnerving tension. Rika and Keiichi, however, refused to submit to the pressure. They both gazed into each other's eyes steely, neither one breaking out of their grim states. The breezing wind blew in a chillingly passive wave over to one direction, catching the flowing hairs of long blue and short brown along with it.

Then, once the first minute reached its end, Keiichi drew himself away from Rika, releasing her from his uncoiling arms. His grave countenance evaporated, converting into an uplifting smile that made Rika's tough demeanor alleviate to a softer gaze.

He laughed sheepishly, "When you put it that way, you make a valid point. I have a lot more experience ahead of me before I can truly have wisdom, and it's a similar case for you too, Rika-chan."

"Oh?" Rika cocked an eyebrow.

"You and I have made myriads of mistakes, all from the same struggles in the same perils. You did nothing but witness our friends be stained in blood whereas I have stained blood upon those same people, and it was very much through the distrust we hold. Because of this, we force these afflictions to roost on our backs and prevent ourselves from advancing towards the future," Keiichi orated smoothly before continuing. "And I've had enough of it. It's time to make a stand to our sins."

He extended an open hand out to Rika and grinned ear-to-ear. "Our burdens exist to serve as dead-weight. Let's leave them from whence they came and move on. Lurking in the past does nothing but hinder our progression as people. Striding to the future allows us to grow in sagacity and seek new happiness in our lives, thus compensating for the trials we have went through or may eventually face later on. So what do you say, Rika Furude? Would you like to walk with me and discover what life has to offer?"

Hinamizawa's shrine maiden kept her mouth sewed as she pondered deeply over the enthralling speech. Once again, Keiichi had serenaded her with his philosophical words, living up to his title as Magician of Words. Rika took his offer in careful consideration.

Everything he said was true. She had deliberately trapped herself in the past for self-torture, overwhelmed by her own remorse of her actions. It wasn't right- not for her, not for Keiichi- and she knew it. The errors Rika committed were things she could never forget, though that didn't excuse her clinging onto her mistakes and letting it run over her life, the gift she and all her loved ones fought so hard for.

There was one thing Rika knew she _had_ to do.

Straightening the pink bow donned on the collar of her white sleeveless shirt, Rika studied the proffering hand reached out to her. Her vacant features remained fixed as she adjusted her ribbon. Once she finished tuning her accessory, the lapis-haired child's blank stare progressively morphed into a beaming look of acceptance.

Rika graciously accepted Keiichi's hand, shaking it firmly. "Of course, Keiichi Maebara. I tire of wallowing in self-pity. I want to move on. I want to view the whole world, not in oppression but excitement, for its many thrilling surprises in store. No longer will I ever live in dreadful anticipation of my undoing, but rather in seeking of new revelations that could improve my life for the better."

"That's the spirit," Keiichi winked as he flashed a thumbs-up in approbation with his other hand.

"I only ask for one thing in return," Rika withdrew her hand away, disbanding the concurring hand gesture. Her cheeks burned in bright crimson as she rubbed one arm coyly, amethyst pearls quivering about. "That you will always be there for me, as someone who I can share my blooming life with."

Keiichi chuckled before stroking Rika's hair, causing her cheeks to heat up even further. "Oh, come on. I've been doing that for a whole century, and I'm not going to stop now. You have my word."

"G- Good. That's just what I needed to hear, KeiKei," faltered Rika, smiling abashedly. She closed her eyes and laid both her hands on top of the male's brushing tanned-hand, cooing fondly over the smooth touch of his hand and how the soothing massage pampered her head lovingly upon contact. "Miiiii..."

"So, Rika-chan, how will we start off our newborn ambitions?" Keiichi inquired as he looked up thoughtfully. The child in question opened her mouth to speak, and just when she was about to make a suggestion, Keiichi yelped abruptly, his face litting up. "Oh, I know!"

He used his free hand - the one not ruffling Rika's hair - to dig deep inside one of his pant pockets. Rika inquiringly surveyed the boy rummaging through his compartment. Then, a few seconds of scavenging later, Keiichi whipped out two strips of paper out from his black trousers.

Rika leaned in and scrutinized the pieces of small paper. Upon closer inspection, her eyes widened as she noted the distinct logo of a familiar restaurant, one that she and her friends often went to for desserts. She enunciated the legible text, "Angel Mort coupon? For all you can eat, one-time use?"

"Yes, your eyes don't deceive you. These are non-counterfeit vouchers for Angel Mort," Keiichi began to explain. "Do you recall when I miraculously won over Zombie Tag and when you lost the club games a third time on that same day? Well, surprisingly, Shion was kind enough to express her felicitations by handing me these two puppies. She also constantly hurled vague hints at me on how I should use the coupons for a very special girl in my heart."

_'Shion was most likely talking about Mion...' _Rika brooded to herself, sorely recalling the club president's subtle crush on Keiichi. Mion fell in love with him, but couldn't bring herself to confess, and based off the recent barrage of punishments she fired at him, it was clear the green-haired teenager wasn't sure how to go about her dilemma either.

The burnt-umber haired boy ignored the musing look on Rika's face, and fleshed out more elaborately, "Thanks to Shion, I couldn't get those insinuations out of my head after that. I pondered and pondered on who she was talking about, on what kind of girl was most special to me. From the start, you were always the first thing that popped up, Rika-chan. I tried giving the other girls some thought, but neither of them really caught my attention as much as you did."

"So then, how come you didn't sought out to me about this before?" Rika tilted her head in confusion, slightly surprised, yet dearly touched, over the last bit of details he revealed.

"I was conflicted," Keiichi answered flatly. "Part of me was a bit unsure whether you'd accept or not. I didn't think you would be thrilled over spending time with me alone. Not to mention that with the losing steak I have in Mion's stupid games, I was pretty crabby, so it wasn't best for me to ask you when I was so moody."

Rika stayed quiet for a moment before shaking her head with a faint whisper of laughter, "Oh, sir, it is so like you to be troubled with girls. Your lack of comprehending women is almost humorous."

The male teenager deadpanned, "That statement makes me want to cry. Must you be so cruel?"

"Yes." smirked Rika.

Keiichi ejected a playful glare at the devious bluenette, which made her snicker cheekily. Amused heavily with Rika's adorable, teasing nature, he sassed jokingly, "I never pegged you to be the type to verbally assault me so savagely. How on earth can anyone deal with that little potty mouth of yours?"

"Years of practice. But for you, it will take a thousand years at most." the indigo-haired child quipped teasingly.

"Ha ha ha! Okay, okay, we're digressing," Keiichi changed the subject, directing his attention back to the origins of his pair of Angel Mort coupons. "So, anyway, I was grumpy from constantly losing and I had a hard time deciding what to do with the vouchers. I planned on putting them on hold 'til I reached a decision, but then you and the whole "moving on" thing came up and, well, I figured it was impeccable timing to bring these coupons up."

He jerked the coupons in Rika's front view, clumsily dangling them. "I mean, what better way to begin our goals of achieving new happiness then to go to one of the best restaurants around Okinomiya? Besides, with our freshly-born relationship, combined with that little mirthful kiss you gave me, it'd work well for setting up a..."

His optics gleamed in mischief. "...romantic date."

"Oh my. Getting a little cocky now, are we?" though red-faced over the bold but endearing suggestion given, a smirking Rika succeeded in speaking huskily, "I give you one kiss and you are already asking me out. Seems I've spoiled the mewing kitty. Hmm... no, wait. It must be the waitresses at Angel Mort and their suggestive clothing. Naughty, naughty boy. Are you taking me out just to make me watch you gawk over their sex appeal?"

"Your accusations wound me, Rika-chan. As if I would ever stoop low to that of a perverse degenerate," the male responded calmly, unfazed from Rika's statements. He laughed halfheartedly, "Hah hah haha, in all seriousness though, I really do want to take you to Angel Mort. Just to unwind and savor the desserts together, of course."

"Well, it'd be foolish of me to kiss you and then just reject your request off the bat, but-" there was one question that bothered Rika. "-when exactly do we go on this date?"

Keiichi smiled. "Today. Once school ends. Maybe somewhere around five-thirty if you need to prepare, otherwise we could just head straight to Angel Mort."

Rika shot an incredulous, questioning look at Keiichi momentarily before shrugging. The arrangements were a bit too soon for her tastes, but she could manage. It wasn't like she had anything else to do on a normal Friday anyway. She replied, "You aren't wasting any time in dating me, Keiichi; that-is-so. But I shall gladly accept regardless. Sounds like you to be impatient and rush in to the good stuff."

"Nice!" Keiichi fist-pumped the air.

"Do you want to get club activities done and over with, then go on this date? Or is there another option in mind?" asked Rika.

The inspirited boy tapped his chin in thought, his eyes wandering curiously up towards the celestial beautiful blue skies beaming brightly.

He then looked back down seconds later, grinned deviously, and answered casually, "Actually, there is. I say both of us just ditch the club for today. Cross-dressing for that pesky Mion is asinine. I don't want to satisfy her cosplay fetishes, nor do I want to be ridiculed by the likes of Shion and Satoko. Plus I'm going to be on a date with you soon, Rika-chan, so why should I let those rigged games ruin the mood?"

Rika giggled as she remarked, "This is the first time I'm hearing you reject participating in the club, Keiichi."

"Pah," Keiichi snorted. "I should've planned on escaping the Gaming Club _way _long ago. How I was so unbearably persistent on winning those games is beyond me," he shoved the coupons back into his pocket and pulled Rika close to his chest. "Oh, well, doesn't matter. I very much prefer you over anything else, any day. It makes me happy you're willing to tag along with me. Thank you."

Snuggling her hime-cut indigo bangs against Keiichi's robust smooth chest, Rika hummed contently, welcoming in the protective cushion with open arms. She succumbed to the tranquil presence of her guardian angel, who made her feel safe and happy, whose words rendered her engrossed in its mystical magic, whose undiminished prowess left her wonderstruck and inspired to follow through its footsteps, and the one who ensnared her through the inpenetrable bonds of pure, sincere infatuation.

"O-Oh!" Rika gasped as her feet were whisked off the dirt, the soles of her red Mary Jane shoes no longer planting the ground. The child shivered in delight, feeling a pair of chivalrous hands seize her bare arms and legs delicately. Peppermint red permeated between the chubby sides of Rika's face as several unwrinkled fingers stroked her exposed appendages lovingly. "KeiKei!"

Keiichi smiled warmly, keeping Rika close against his chest in bridal hold. His sleek chocolate hair fluttered gently as its saccharine spiked fringes, riddling around his brows in a smooth curve, swept his forehead breezily. His lustrous ultramarine orbs, outpouring in a balled-up torrent of aquatic color, washed over the full appearance of Rika Furude.

"Don't fret, Rika-chan. I've got you. By indwelling your presence eternally, I will always keep you in angel's sanctuary." he gazed longingly at the ethereal maiden cradled in his strong arms.

Rika's amethyst optical globes twinkled divinely, signifying the sprouting life of a holy seraph. Her sapphire threads spoke tales of an unsullied waterfall flowing downward to her back in steady current. Adjoining her pinchable cheeks from both sides, her dangling sidelocks poured down beneath her shoulders, washing over the navy-blue suspenders holding up a miniskirt that matched in color with the straps. Her bubbly face and bare limbs, both in fabulous silky condition, unveiled its flawless pastel skin, glittering in sacred radiance from the sun.

She mitigated the residual stain left in her body and submerged into the embracing holds of her guardian angel. "Yeah, I know. I'll do my part too and welcome you to the promised land of my ideals, forevermore. Together, we will transverse through this profound love we share amongst ourselves."

"That would be an honor. Thank you," Keiichi rocked the bluenette back-and-forth delicately, careful in not dropping her. With a graceful whirl, as the swaying persisted, he made one full spin before stopping a third quarter on the next, facing the direction that was previously his right. "Now, what do you say we go off to class through the back? Once school ends, both of us will start our fun together."

"Sure, I see no reason to refuse. Our friends must be worried sick waiting for us," agreed Rika, wiggling in adorable fashion to get comfortable. She closed her eyes in pure bliss. "Let's be on our way."

And so, Keiichi sauntered around the school building as he carried Rika bridal-style, idyllic joy visible on both their faces. With each step taken by the soles of the black shoes belonging to Keiichi, the surface of the dirt soil evaporated into an invisible smog, suffocating the couple's nostrils with its earthly scent. Fortunately, that did nothing to hinder the heartwarming scene.

The blazing sun hovered above the vaults of heaven, shedding natural igniting radiance down to the terrestrial floors beneath it. Keiichi and Rika were cleansed in warmth, their forms treated to angelic luminescence. From afar, the lush green trees and bushes rustled as they flew with the wind, cheering on for the enchanted duo.

As they drew hither to an open window leading to the inside of the infirmary, from outside, for the umpteenth time since the century-aged Endless June lingered no more, reveling in five-week-old rapture and tranquility, the cicadas cried. **[10]**

[-x-]

"Moouuu! What's taking them so long?!" whined Mion. She had her arms folded angrily under her ample breasts. With remarkable swift motion, her right foot tapped impatiently on the grunting classroom floors.

Rena whimpered as she gazed worryingly at her best friend. "Calm down, Mi-chan. It's only been two minutes since Keiichi-kun and Rika-chan gone off to the bathroom."

"Two minutes is too long," Mion countered adamantly with one eye twitching. "Unless I say otherwise, club activities is a priority, especially on a school day. Raccoon Rika and whipping boy know this well, therefore, they shouldn't be taking this long! There is absolutely no excuse for this!"

"Haaauuu," Rena, intimidated by Mion's aggressive riposte, shrunk back. Her baby blue spheres trembled fearfully, the soft sparkles in it beginning to intensify. She remarked perceptively, "You must really be in such a bad mood to talk like that."

The club president growled in loathe, "Damn straight. Rika-chan really grinded my gears this morning. For today's games, I will personally make sure she rues the day she decided to mess with Mion Sonozaki. Taking down Kei-chan is an extra bonus."

"Hee hee hee~," seeing it as good timing to intervene, Shion threw her two cents in, "Rena-chan is right about one thing; you _are_ acting awfully grouchy today, Onee. Why could that be? What did Rika-chan do to get you so riled up?"

Mion glowered at her sister. "Shion. No."

That warning wasn't enough to stop Shion. Smirking naughtily, she continued, "Is it the way she comforted Kei-chan when you taunted him that troubles you so? Or is it how Rika-chan pulled him away to talk in private? Oh, yes, that must be it. You were dead set on preventing that."

"Shiiiooon!" Mion's blood began to boil.

Her younger twin laughed, brushing off the glare sent her way with a waving nonchalant hand. "Relax, Onee. I don't blame you for being paranoid. Rika-chan has been acting strange lately, and somehow, my intuition is telling me that it has something to do with Kei-chan. Think about it - she has been more giddy than usual around him, and just today, she keeps him all to herself before class. When they came back, both of them refused to reveal what they did alone together. Now _that _doesn't sound coincidental."

"S- Shush, you!" the ponytail-haired teenager spluttered, her rampant thoughts running wild over the suggestive comments whooshing through her ears. "Rika-chan is too young for such a thing! No way in hell would she be so bold to seduce Kei-chan!"

_"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuu...!" _streaks of blood spurted out of Rena's nose as the redhead propelled back, falling flat on her back. She rolled frantically around the floor, blushing furiously as she mewed in embarrassment.

Satoko, cheeks flushed deeply in chagrin akin to Rena's, directed her attention over to the windows without saying a word, yearning to drown out the discussion. The trap extraordinaire wasn't one who could digest topics regarding intimacy that well.

As for Hanyuu, she simply stared with amusement at the spectacle, letting the events play out naturally.

Shion raised her hands in a surrendering gesture, slightly alarmed. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not the kind of idea I was gunning for-" her cat-like grin returned. "-but okay, sure. If you want to think that way, hue hue hue."

"Y-You... humph!" Mion ceased her slurs and spun away with a scowl. "You should go back to Okinomiya."

"And you should probably go do something about our dear Kei-chan and Rika-chan," Shion quipped offhandedly, entertained with her elder sibling's reaction. "It's been _three _minutes since they went to the bathroom... at the same time. Let that sink in."

Under normal circumstances, Mion would never listen to Shion when it came to those horrid remarks. But from being on edge with everything that had transpired recently, her mind couldn't resist wandering off toward the endless realms of insinuation.

Letting her sister's suggestive words settle in, the club leader gasped in horror as she let her arms drop carelessly to her sides. "Why those sneaky little weasels! They must have formed a special alliance conspiring against me. Right now, the two of them are probably wasting our time, trying to convince me into thinking that they're getting intimate, just to catch me off my guard for today's club game!"

"Oh, wow. So first you think Rika-chan is enticing Kei-chan, and now suddenly you believe they're working together to gang up on you?" Shion stifled a laugh, snickering uncontrollably, "Pshh... Onee, your mind is a muddle of conspiracies. I guess that's what happens when one gets clouded in jealousy."

"Blasphemy! Stupid Shion, I'm not jealous!" Mion denied, shaking her head vehemently. "U- Un- Uncle Mion just doesn't approve of what's going on between Kei-chan and Rika-chan!"

Shion, whose grin broadened in length and mischief, simply pointed out playfully, "Suuurrrre you aren't. Like it isn't obvious from the way you're acting as of now."

"Quiet!" a flustered Mion silenced her with a sharp order. The class president began to stomp her feet, marching towards the way out of the classroom menacingly. "This old man is fed up. I am going to get our two scheming foxes out, tow their asses back here, and put an end to this childish masquerade. For rebelling against their leader, they'll suffer severe penalties on the double."

Then, Satoko looked back, just in time to see the aggravated club leader take her leave. Her optics widened apprehensively as she watched Mion storm off to the closed door, which held a peculiar object on top, unseen by the enraged teenager. The blonde cried out frantically, "Mion-san, wait! You'll activate-"

_Klunk! _"Ack!"

As soon as Mion grabbed onto the wooden door and roughly slid it aside, a large metal bowl was sent crashing down with moderate velocity, having lost its balance from the sudden movement of the divider that had barely held it in place. The steel pot landed straight on top of Mion's head, resulting in a pained shriek from the elder Sonozaki.

Thankfully for Mion, there wasn't any liquid inside the water container. But she still had to deal with the harsh repercussions of the collision. The green-ponytailed teenager collapsed onto her knees with a loud _thud_, before crumpling down face-flat on the floor, a pink goose egg slowly forming on the surface of her stucken head. As for the basin, it slid off Mion's head and landed with an ephemeral _clatter_ as its target collapsed.

Satoko winced, finishing carefully, "...the basin trap... meant for Keiichi-san..."

"A- a- ahh... ngghhh..." groaned Mion, rubbing her left cheek against the flooring weakly to shake off the pain.

"Yeah, that pot is heavily than it looks. Doesn't surprise me that the trap would hurt a ton," the Trap Master commented before hanging her head in guilt. "Sorry, Mion-san..."

"Ho, ho, ho!" Shion let out a haughty laugh as she looked down at her sister condescendingly. The younger twin strode over to Mion's left and crouched down, lightly caressing the bulging bump crowning her head. "What'd I tell ya, Onee? Envy is a powerful instrument, both for its enemy and for its user. It has the ability to blind one's mind in rage, fogging their entire perceptions. Triggering one of Satoko-chan's simple works is proof of that. That's why you need to be more careful next time."

Mion, though hissing faintly under her breath, said nothing as she shot a bitter glare at her younger relative.

"Hau! Hau! Hau! _Hauuuuuuuuu~!_" with cheeks as red as fresh cherries, Rena still resumed on her self-conscious barreling, having not paid any attention to her other friends. The auburn-haired girl rolled everywhere around the classroom, ricocheting like a bullet from the walls, chairs, and desks she bumped into occasionally.

While her fellow companions were currently preoccupied, Hanyuu Furude drew away from the other remaining girls in the room, advancing softly towards the coruscating window. Her pensive thoughts wandered aimlessly around Keiichi and her descendant's well-being.

Rika was finally at peace. She no longer contemplated over the eternal summer that snatched away centuries of her life. Instead, the bluenette fixated on the inchoate future ahead, and in addition, she amended her broken relations with Keiichi, stitching the powerful and tender bonds between them back together.

Not a tear of doubt pelted in Hanyuu's mind. The small goddess knew that Rika and Keiichi would do just fine together. Both of them were their own remedies to each other's ordeals, their own halves to their happiness, and their own puzzle pieces to forming a delightful heaven for themselves. Together, by always remaining with one another side-by-side, they would be able to truly move on.

Hanyuu blinked and lightly shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. She concentrated on the scenery that overshadowed her viewpoint.

Outside, the school yard was in its post meridian. Indistinctive tones of vibrant orange and subtle red striped over the blue skies in a panoramic canvas. The vegetation distanced away but sitting close near campus grounds heated in sunny temperature, having reflective warm colors from the sun scour its natural green forms.

But that wasn't what interested Hanyuu most.

Far away, two silhouettes were walking forward into the massive sun before them, shrinking in size the more distant they grew from Hanyuu's vision. Their moving figures were embellished in broad but messy borders of yellow radiance, bestowing upon them a glowing transcendent appearance. One figure was tall with short hair, while the other was small with long hair travelling down shoulder-length. Both of them each had one of their own hands entwined.

One of the shadowed enigmas - the smaller one - revolved their head back, their barely-visible eyes piercing right through Hanyuu's gazing orbs. This figure opened their mouth, uttering mute words that failed to passed through the distance and window barricade leading to Hanyuu.

Though Hanyuu didn't need to strain herself in hearing. She knew who the enigma was: a certain child with maturity who Hanyuu was well acquainted with, and whose lapis-lazuli hair watered down to her back. The girl was special to Hanyuu; somehow, she had her senses linked with the goddess', thus allowing Hanyuu to understand her desires, emotions, and the most private of thoughts.

So naturally, when the small silhouette began to talk, Hanyuu focused - not on what she was trying to say, but - on what she was thinking. A female voice, darker and deeper in tone and befitting to that of an adult woman, delivered three words through the living dimensions of connected minds.

Hanyuu, violet optics shimmering and dancing in tearing joy, smiled and waved to the child darkened in shadow, who had then glanced back front and faded away into the colossal combustible of plasma with the other tall figure adjoined to her.

On the brim of bursting out into euphoric weeping, fueling her emotions with endearment, the words that tackled Hanyuu's mind, in touching grace, replayed,

_'Thank you, Hanyuu.'_

[-x-]

**A/N II:** **And that's a wrap. **_**Whew!**_** This was very long to write out, and it for sure took an **_**eternity**_** for me to finish entirely. I hope that I didn't go too overboard with the details and figurative language. Sorry if it's hard to understand.**

**And I also apologize deeply if anyone in the Higurashi cast seemed out of character. It's pretty challenging to capture their personalities, ha ha! Looking back, I think I made Rika a bit too sentimental, though considering that she's traversed through countless, agonizing timelines for a century, I think I can let that slide.**

**I've left a bunch of notes down below, which are marked by [X] to pinpoint where each note goes, just to clarify a few topics that seem confusing. I hope that isn't too much trouble.**

**Well, anyway, thanks so much for reading! I hope you all enjoyed. This is only the beginning of my writing, so expect more written works out of me. See you next time!**

[-x-]

**Notes:**

**[1] **To clarify, yes, Hanyuu and Rika are both eleven and ten-years-old respectively, in appearance terms that is. Mentally, however, they are both older than that.

Rika's mental state, as a result of repeating the same day for so long, reaches up to a century while Hanyuu is close to being a thousand years older, hence why Hanyuu, the elder out of the two, refers to Rika as "her child". At one point, before she became Oyashiro, Hanyuu was a mother of one child- a young girl who awfully shared an uncanny resemblance to Rika, hence why she is often depicted as a sort of mother figure towards her descendant in the series.

Even Rika feels the same, parent-child bond towards Hanyuu. In the manga version, towards the resolution of the last arc: _Matsuribayashi-hen_, Rika fondly calls her, "Mother".

**[2] **_Minagoroshi-hen _refers to one of the many dead worlds Rika and Hanyuu encountered during their Endless June peregrination. At some point, both girls considered naming each of the countless worlds they'd come across. "Minagoroshi" in Japanese translates to "Massacre" in English, and the "-hen" part means "chapter" so _Minagoroshi-hen_, put in English, is the _Massacre Chapter_.

**[3] **Hanyuu Furude takes the identity of Oyashiro, the guardian deity of Hinamizawa. Urban legends viewed Oyashiro as a vengeful god who spared no mercy for his human sacrifices, though in actuality, Oyashiro takes the form- not of a male- but of a kind-hearted female child who would never dream of harming anyone. She possesses supernatural time powers that allow herself and Rika to travel to different worlds, providing aid to her descendant in her struggles against the Endless June.

**[4] **Though the description says Mion is the older twin, she is actually the _younger _twin. As kids, Shion and Mion would often switch identities with one another and play around with other's confusion for their amusement.

But at some point, one of the twins receieved a tattoo that would forever trap the two in their respective identities, and unfortunately, they were swapped at that time. Shion is actually Mion, and Mion is actually Shion. Both twins came to accept this mistake later on though, and just stuck to their own swapped personas. This is one of the most confusing topics in Higurashi, so we're better off sticking to their current identities as well.

**[5] **"Nipah" is a catchphrase Rika would often use randomly in happy moments, very much like Hanyuu's "Au, au, au,". But unlike the latter, which is meaningless onomatopoeia, Nipah is based off the name of a zoonotic virus. So when Rika uses the term, she refers to the Hinamizawa Syndrome, a parasitic virus that affects the human mind by amplifying their anxiety and paranoia with delusions.

Though the phrase can also just be used as a way of telling someone to smile, hence why she always grins innocently when she says it (and also why I sort of had it to be based off Keiichi helping her be happy).

**[6]** Ha ha, don't mind _"Holy Hanyuu_". Just a little something for my own amusement.

**[7] **Just a short nod to _Code Lyoko_, an underrated cartoon series that also need more recognition. It's based off of one of its memorable characters, Jim Morales, using his usual phrase to avoid any unwanted topics concerning his past.

**[8]** "Onee" is Japanese for "older sister" so when Shion addresses Mion by that term, she means to call her "older sister".

**[9] **"KeiKei" is a nickname Rika has reserved for Keiichi. She refers to him as "KeiKei" in episode 2 of _Higurashi No Naku Koro ni Kira_.

**[10] **In case of confusion, when I added in the "five-week-old rapture and tranquility" bit, I meant saying it as how long and how well Hinamizawa's been since Takano was stopped. In this story (well, by the end of this connected one-shot), it had been three weeks after Rika's triumph. Also, the cicadas are the insects native to warm countries like Hinamizawa.


	2. SPECIAL! 2019 Watanagashi Festival

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**Author's Note:** **Hi, everyone! So, there really isn't much for me to say, but this bit I'm writing here is going to be special. **

**With June rolling up, and how the annual Watanagashi Festival occurs around the third Sunday of that month, I thought it would be fitting to write about that with the characters in the year, 2019, meaning they will all be grown-up, so it's going to be very interesting writing out how the cast turned out years later. Just to fun, I've also posted this story on the same day of when the Watanagashi Festival occurs, which is the third Sunday of June, so here, this story is set in the Reiwa 1 era, otherwise known as the year 2019.**

**And it's also Father's Day today, so that's pretty fun (for me at least; I can't speak for any of you readers).**

**This story is a separate one-shot, though it's plausible to connect it with the **_Moving On_ **series here in this fanfic. Anyway, criticism is greatly appreciated and welcomed with open arms. **_**No flames.**_** Have a good one, everyone!**

**.**

**STORY ORIGINALLY POSTED ON JUNE 16, 2019 (Watanagashi Day~!)**

[-x-]

_Summary: Post-Matsuribayashi-hen; 36 years after Rika and friends' truimphant over the Endless Summer, the 46-year-old Furude girls, once tied in fate's concoon, participate in their most recent Watanagashi festival alongside Keiichi and friends as they reminisce their past and look on to the future. _

_Pairing(s): KeiRika (F/M), SatoShion (F/M)_

_Rated: T (for infrequent swearing and mild suggestive themes)_

[-x-]

**[SPECIAL] 2019/Reiwa 1 Watanagashi Festival**

**...**

"Rika, how are the preparations coming along?" Hanyuu asked inquisitively as she sat adjoined to her relative's right wing. Her and Rika were currently sitting on a sturdy wooden bench parked by the wayside near a random trail leading to the Furude Shrine. Behind them were neighboring trees pursuing the dirt path's course.

The woman in question glanced at the lilac-haired adult beside her with a bored look, flatly replying, "Everything is going smoothly. A lot of interesting ideas were thrown out for this year's Watanagashi festival. From what I recall, there's going to be a water gun dueling contest around the open area far off slightly from the Furude Shrine."

Hanyuu's face lit up into a beaming smile, her violet orbs quivering acutely in elation. "Wow, amazing, au au~! Hinamizawa has never had such an event before. Mion must have been ecstatic when the idea came up."

"Eh," shrugged Rika.

Many years have passed since Rika and Hanyuu were set free from the eternal summer back in 1983. They were in their second month of the Reiwa era, which had transitioned from the Heisei period that recently passed when former Emperor Akihito's son, Naruhito, took over the throne as new Emperor of Japan back in late April.

For Hinamizawa, the rural village underwent drastic changes from the extensive period of time it traversed through. No more did dense woods rule the local countryside with an iron fist. A myriad of new edifices planted over sections of the trees cut down, providing more homes for the growing village population - particularly those who migrated into the village.

The forests still existed, but only in smaller numbers. On the other hand, the undergrowth and plant life improved tremendously in lushness, much to all the farmers' delight. Infrastructure remained more or less the same as back in the eighties, minus a few new adjustments, though that did nothing to deter living conditions for the villagers.

As for Rika and Hanyuu, they aged quite well.

No wrinkles were visible on their visage. Both their light-skinned body frames were faultless to any lingering males in near presence, enticing them with tight waists complimenting the curved hips they had in possession. Their bare shoulders were narrow but proportionate to their hourglass figures, which clashed well with their pair of slender legs stretching down in remarkably elegant length.

The Furude duo together donned matching black summer dresses, with thin straps and decorative pink blossoms, that clasped their petite figures, revealing more of their luscious apple-like bottoms. They also sported a pair of slides over their dainty barefeet, colored pink for Hanyuu and colored black for Rika respectively.

Their apron-like round breasts, bulging out from their tight bodices, were marginally bigger than average in terms of size, leaving nothing but wonders for any seduced male individuals. Hanyuu had a larger rack though, much to the annoyance of her descendent.

Based off their current appearances, it was safe to assume that age wasn't a factor in the equation of unsullied beauty, at least in Rika and Hanyuu's case. Even after 36 long years, they had managed to sustain and - most certainly - develop their angellic appearances.

_"Eh?"_ Hanyuu parroted. "What is _"Eh" _supposed to mean?"

"It just means... eh," an emotionless Rika answered dryly, shrugging her shoulders again. **[1]**

Hanyuu frowned as she commented, "You don't sound excited."

The Furude matriarch leaned behind against the back-rest of her timber seat, causing the rectangular furniture to groan inaudibly over the terse motion. She sighed exasperatedly, "Not really. I feel as if the more years pass by, the more society worsens."

"What do you mean?" inquired Hanyuu with a tilt of her head.

"Look around you," Rika offhandedly gestured to the dirt trail ahead. She directed her attention toward a passing trio of boys with sets of black headphones over their ears, their eyes glued to small-screened devices as they ignored one another. "This new generation has been cursed. They hardly interact face-to-face anymore, or at all even. It's disgusting."

"Well, it isn't surprising. Technology _is_ taking a big advancement in the world," Hanyuu remarked.

Rika scrunched her nose, her eyes narrowing in disdain at the departing male youths as she sorely ejected, "Maybe _too _much of an advancement. Technology is essentially a drug. People are so obsessed over it they're too busy to appreciate what the outside environment has to offer. Good grief, my mind dwells in great concern over this world's future."

Hanyuu planted a consoling hand on her relative's shoulder. "I'm sure everything will turn out fine, even with the exponential rise of people's dependance on their gadgets. Take a leap of faith and hope for the best."

"What's there to put faith on?" rebutted Rika starkily. "The new generation here is already a lost cause as it is. Sad to say, my daughter has taken part of this disgrace. Such horror. Who've thunk the offspring of myself and Keiichi would succumb to the addiction."

The bluenette's ruminations traced back to the family she created in her physical youth.

At some point around the first July of her _actual_ new life, Rika sought a romantic relationship with Keiichi. Through Hanyuu's help, she was able to confess her true feelings to the brown-haired boy, who graciously accepted by exchanging similar interests back.

From there, Keiichi and Rika were an item. They refrained from revealing their relationship to the public, at least until they finished schooling. No one other than Hanyuu knew.

The couple built a stable, healthy bond that only seemed to flourish the longer they stayed near each other's side. By the time Keiichi was heading off to university, they were truly inseparable in their relationship. Both of them kept contact via phone, and sometimes face-to-face whenever Keiichi could make time, with one another daily during those years.

Once Keiichi graduated, it was Rika's time to go to college. She took a major in creative writing, and passed many of her classes with flying colors. After attaining her degree, Rika was finally engaged to Keiichi when he proposed to her days later of her graduation. They kept their word and exposed the truth of their relationship to everyone, seven months prior to their wedding.

Their friends were displeased, though it was only because Keiichi and Rika kept this revelation hidden from them for so long.

Mion, who crushed over Keiichi at that time, took the revelation in the hardest. She detached herself from everyone and sulked for weeks. Though eventually, the tomboy relented and came to accept Keiichi's relations with Rika. She and the others cheered on in support when Hanyuu, serving as a priestess, blest the bride and groom in marriage.

After their marriage, Rika and Keiichi shared a cozy, two-story home.

Keiichi worked as a police investigator of Okinomiya, solving various cases with great finesse benefiting well for himself, Rika, the entire police force, and all other residents nearby. He was incredibly outstanding in his job to the point where other cities often convened him over for his assistance. It was thanks to Keiichi that criminal activity in every part of Japan had decreased dramatically.

For Rika, she composed her very first story, a written work disclosing the tale of a puppet whom craved freedom, struggling desperately to break away from its strings and puppetmaster.

The plot was clearly based off her enslaved experience of the Endless June, though Rika didn't seem to show any problems against it. When she finished, the bluenette submitted her composition over to a publisher through an agent whom Mion helped her get in contact with.

Rika's story was accepted and she got in on a good contract. Numerous copies of her book were set around the shelves in several libraries, Okinomiya's included. As a result, many intrigued readers bought the copies and Rika gained great profit out of it. From that point on, Rika grew to be very successful in her career and continued to pen out more written literatures that would forever expose her as an iconic author throughout Japan.

Though Keiichi was out of the house frequently, he used whatever free time and day offs he could get in his disposal to hang out with Rika, just so she didn't feel neglected.

Later on, Rika was treated to her first-ever pregnancy. It was not a pleasant time for all, most especially Keiichi, who had to suffer on the receieving end of his irate wife's wrath.

Regardless of that however, the ending results came out splendid. Rika and Keiichi were blessed with the birth of a young girl; their daughter who was named "Mirai" as a symbol for their future the cursed Endless June robbed them of all those years ago. **[2]**

"Oh, yeah, au au," Hanyuu beamed as she began to talk, her thoughts dwelling on the newest addition to her family. "Little Mirai-chan. She was a chip off the old block; sweet as a button and very admirable like you and Keiichi. How's she doing now?"

Rika scowled, folding her arms. "Mirai is beginning to disappoint me. She's not taking her future duties as shrine maiden seriously and is constantly fiddling around with that dreadful gadget of hers. Keiichi has spoiled the hell out of her."

"Ha ha, well, Keiichi could never say no against the Furude charm. Like mother, like daughter. Mirai-chan knows how to get him to do as she wishes," Hanyuu raised a foot up and dangled the pink sandal, nipping the strap in between her toes. As she stared at her hanging footwear absentmindedly, the venerable Furude said, "Hmmm... is it really so bad though? I can't imagine Mirai-chan taking your role as head of this family anytime soon. She's not ready for it."

"Exactly right. My daughter is most certainly not fit for the job as of now," Rika spat out. "I _did_ plan on dubbing Mirai her rightful title once she reached eighteen years of age, but taking her ghastly, infantile personality into consideration, I will have to rethink that notion. While I'm at it, I should teach Keiichi to stop being so soft and be more strict with her."

Hanyuu wiggled as she slid her loosened sandal back on her foot, before giggling, "Seems your child is an iota of a hassle for you to deal with."

"She is, always has been since before her birth. I remember how terrified Keiichi was when I attempted to castrate him during the pregnancy," the Furude matriarch recalled before chuckling, her ill-mood dissipating slowly. "Heh heh heh, Mirai sure knows how to bring out the hyper side of people. I guess that's why I even bother looking out for her."

"I'm telling you, Rika. Your daughter lives up to her parent's personas," a grin crept up Hanyuu's face. "It's the eccentric types that are usually the most entertaining. After all, life's more enjoyable with a few spices here and there, au au."

Rika nodded in agreement. "I concur, just as long as said excitement doesn't get me killed in the long run. This old woman is way too exhausted to deal with any trouble in her age."

"Now you're beginning to sound like Mion," Hanyuu observed.

The two women laughed in amusement.

Once the chuckles ceased, Rika went back to looking sullen. Her face darkened in low purple color, and her amethyst eyes cast down at her swinging svelte legs. She uncrossed her arms before using her hands to grip onto the hem of her dress. "Still, I can't help but feel cynical over this new year. Remember last year's Watanagashi and the Heisei 30 New Years Festival? Not many of the new generation bothered to attend."

"Oh, dear..." Hanyuu ran one hand down her short, wavy lilac hair nervously. She started cropping it down shoulder-length a couple decades back after her hair began to curl. "A lot of unfortunate circumstances occured in Heisei 30. But, you know, this year isn't so bad. There were more people that made an appearance in the Heisei 31 New Years Festival. Maybe the same could be said for the upcoming Watanagashi."

The indigo-haired priestess shook her head curtly. "Doubt it. Hinamizawa now holds people with infectous disappointment. Even some of the adults here are affected. If this keeps up, it won't be long before the festivals devolve into the epitome of a ghost town." she paused briefly. "Actually, I may be exaggerating on that, but you get the point."

"Rika, sweetie," Hanyuu started tentatively as a dejected expression plastered her face. "Sometimes I wish you'd be optimistic for a change. Not everything is going to come out horrible."

"Tch," Rika scoffed. She suddenly rose off the bench and landed roughly on her feet, causing her lavender-haired companion to flinch over the loud stamp on the dirt ground and sharp creak of the wood she sat on previously. "That kind of mindset will get you killed someday, Hanyuu. Learn to be realistic."

Hanyuu watched as her moody relative began to take her leave.

As Rika marched over the path coughing up soiled dust, the enraged matron added in her parting words, "I'll be off to do some last minute practice for the Kagura dance, just to amuse myself and hopefully hone my skills in warding off this idiocy of a curse plaguing the new Hinamizawans. Though I doubt either purpose will be fulfilled. See you later."

And the younger Furude was off.

For Hanyuu, she heaved a relenting sigh as the storming figure of Rika shrunk and disappeared into the distance. She glanced up at the vibrant pale-blue skies scumbled in puffy white clouds flowing off passively. Chirping birds from above followed the colorless air in pursuit as the cicadas, concealed behind shaded, stiff trees, began to thrum blissfully. The pacific scenery perfectly contrasted Rika's abrasive mood.

_'Oh, my child, I guarantee you that this year's Watanagashi is going to proceed superbly. Just wait and see. Maybe then will your cynical behavior wear off. Maybe then...' _Hanyuu's pensive musings trailed off aimlessly in her sacrosanct mind, ominously leading to what was in store next for Rika.

[-x-]

It was the 16th of June 2019, the day of the Watanagashi Festival; a time where the villagers of Hinamizawa gave praises and gratitude to their guardian deity, Oyashiro-sama. Watanagashi was also an occasion of taking a break from work and having fun, hence the many booths that either served food or provided games with a variety of prizes.

Post meridian was coming close to pass. The sun gradually descended down, taking away the intense orange that would soon remain a glooming darkness. The torrid heat lingered longer, though its dawdling would soon cease after the sun's departure.

Somewhere off away from the Furude Shrine, around an expansive region of smooth dirt, two individuals - a man and a woman - stood in combative stances against each other from opposite sides. They clenched onto the two purple pistols in hand firmly, neither opposition loosening their grip. Their eyes narrowed, their threatening gaze pierced through their unblinking parallels in leering fashion.

And then the opposers leaped. Both of them took their aim with perfect precision before pulling the triggers, sending out streams of concentrated torrent as squirting reports reverberated through the tubes. The figures dodged the liquid ammunition targeted at one another, performing acrobatic tricks that graced their fluid maneuvers immensely.

Splatters of translucent puddles spilled over the terra firma clumsily. The pair of combatants proceeded in their endeavors, elluding the faint-blue jets while firing back more of the same water bullets. They made moving advancements toward one another by narrowing the gap in between; their offensive and defensive tactics grew more precarious than the last.

Suddenly, one of the figures unexpectedly slid over the slippery grounds. He lost his footing and hurled down roughly, though not before delivering a final jet of water at their opponent. The other figure was quick to react, however, and retaliated back with a discharge of her own.

Both individuals grunted when the spurted surge of water pellets collided with their upper bodies. The fallen figure who crashed to the ground clutched onto his chest while the standing opposer grabbed onto her right shoulder. Their harmless wounds left their clothing stained in dark pools, applying condensed wetness that left both combatants hissing and grasping tightly to curb the cold.

"Aahh... damn, Rena. Looks like you managed to take me down with you," stated the boy as he shivered.

Rena grinned confidently in response, likewise shuddering over the chills. "Never underestimate me, Keiichi-kun. Rena knows how to be quick on her feet."

"Well done, well done, you two," applauded a female voice. Both adversaries turned to the source of the voice, finding a woman in her fourties with the back section of her shoulder-length green hair pulled in a short ponytail. She advanced towards them and said, "Nice to see my subordinates haven't been slacking off. This game turned out to be a lot better than I anticipated."

Keiichi gave an indignant but playful huff, "Was there any doubt? C'mon, Mion. When it comes to water gun matches, I'm at my best. Learning traditional-style karate from Akasaka-san helped matters too."

"Yes, indeed, Keii," Rika chimed in as she and everyone else approached the other three, coming out from the sidelines. She tended to her husband, hauling him back up on his feet. "Akasaka fought impressively for us when Hinamizawa was in grave peril. Having him as a teacher allocated great benefits for you. I can see how refined and agile your movements are. Very impressive. Guess there's some truth to you being one of the best cops in Japan."

"_Some_ truth, huh?" emphasized Keiichi, raising an eyebrow.

Rika rolled her eyes. "Don't push it. The last thing I need is for you to get pompous and end up doing something inane."

"Aw, man, you really know how to be such a downer," Satoko looked at her blue-haired friend. Her golden hair, no longer shortened to the neck, travelled down fluently to the curves of her back in a lustrous cataract. "I know I tend to pick on Keiichi-san a lot, but even I can't bring myself to be _that_ discouraging."

"She's not being discouraging, Satoko-chan," a voice piped up. Satoko glanced over to be met with a woman with grass-green hair flowing down to her shoulders, parts of it tied together by a sky-blue ribbon around the back. "If anything, Rika-chan is being _en_couraging. Too much praising can be rather unhealthy so it's best to balance it out by withholding higher standards. That way, Kei-chan can better himself."

The Furude head sported a look of approval, redirecting her gaze towards the ribbon-clad woman. "Nice to see you understand, Shion. Great minds truly do think alike."

Shion flashed a thumbs-up, added with her infamous wink and feline smirk.

"Muuu... I'm not sure I advocate those methods. For me, it is only natural to compliment a person for their talents," a blond man, sharing an eerily uncanny resemblence to Keiichi minus the color of hair and irises, threw his two cents in. He raised his head up thoughtfully. "Though, then again, that's just me not having the heart to be harsh."

Satoko laughed, "Nii-Nii, sometimes you're too nice for your own good." **[3]**

"Not that there's any problem with that. That compassion is what made me feel drawn to you in the first place. Isn't that right, Satoshi-kun?" Shion embraced the male blond lovingly, cooing in fondness as she nuzzled her cheek against his, tracing a petite hand over his stomach.

"A- Aahh, Shion-san, not in public, please," Satoshi pled hoarsely, squirming involuntarily over the soft touch of slender fingers violating his slim figure. He bit his lip, curbing an arousal moan.

Fortunately for Satoshi, Shion withdrew her hand as she pulled away from him. Turning her back marginally, she pressed a hand close to her chest, her coruscating optics trembled in panged guilt. Employing her signature puppy-dog eyes technique, Shion pouted, "Oh, Satoshi-kun, I'm hurt. Do you not want my love?"

Satoshi, ever so gullible to Shion's antics, started to sweat nervously. He waved his hands, the alarmed expression clear on his face. "No, no, no. It's not like that, Shion-san! Don't be sad. Muuu..."

"Nyaha ha ha, relax, Satoshi. Sis is only trying to guilt-trip you for kicks. Not the first time she's done this. Old habits die hard, I suppose," Mion clasped a hand on the blond's shoulder reassuringly. The elder Sonozaki twin grinned as she watched him loosen his tense form.

"You're telling me. I married Shion-san, yet somehow, I can _never _resist myself from falling for her tricks," Satoshi scratched his head sheepishly, releasing a half-hearted chuckle. "I just don't know what to say."

In a blink of an eye, Shion rushed over to Satoshi's side, seizing his left arm in a tender squeeze. A mischievous smile crept on her perky visage. She joked, "You can tell everyone you love me and that you are willing to have some fun with your adoring wife later tonight."

"S- Shion-san! You mustn't be so bold!" cried her startled blond husband.

Everyone laughed, their cheery cachinnations remained unswerving. Though it wasn't long before Hanyuu ceased in her laughter. The lavender-haired woman transfixed at Satoshi with interest.

Satoshi Houjou, a local resident of Hinamizawa; and also one of the unfortunate bunch to fall victim to the contagious disease that once plagued the rural village. He and his sister, Satoko Houjou, stuggled with long-lasting family problems which led from the deaths of their parents to being forced to live in with their abusive aunt and uncle.

This resulted in psychological trauma for the Houjou siblings, though Satoshi seemed to be affected the most. Through delusions and insecurites amplified by the Hinamizawa Syndrome, Satoshi came close to scratching his throat out. Luckily, Irie Kyousuke, head doctor of Hinamizawa's clinic as well as instructor of the village's little league team, was there to prevent his suicide, but at a cost.

The blond boy was placed in comatose, and secretly resided at a hidden section of the Irie clinic. His disappearance was kept secret to most, Satoko included. Preceding the time he vanished, Satoshi inadvertently bonded with Shion Sonozaki (disgused as Mion at the time), who quickly grew enamored of him and his gentle nature. A year subsequent to his coma, Shion unearthed the truth of Satoshi's supposedly unanswered fate.

After the stunning revelation, Shion visited the comatose boy daily, once or twice a week. She read him countless bedtime stories to keep company, and spoke anecdotes of her everyday life to fill him in on the outside world. Not once did the infatuated Sonozaki give up waiting for Satoshi.

Eventually, in the blooming springs of 1989, Dr. Irie finally developed a cure for the Hinamizawa Syndrome. Satoshi was the first to receieve the injection. The remedy turned out to be very successful, and so, from that point marked the return of the prodigal son, amongst many others who suffered from the same disease.

Shion was more than ecstatic to find her prince wakened from his slumber. Upon a five-year overdue encounter, she leaped right at the blond boy and greeted him with an affectionate hug, one that would have killed Satoshi via suffocation had Irie failed to ease the girl's overexcitement.

It was tough for Satoshi to readjust. He had to make up for the time lost in his education. Luckily, Shion and Satoko, who had the pleasure of reuniting with her older brother when he was discharged, were there to help him. Even Dr. Irie was kind enough to step down as the local baseball team's manager, just so he could entrust Satoshi with his former position, to which the blond so benignly accepted (once he finished his schooling). **[4]**

Hanyuu smiled instinctively as she recalled Shion and Satoshi's wedding day. That distinct recollection was a pleasant one.

Shion wasted no time in confessing her love for the Houjou boy months after his return. Much to her utter delight, Satoshi welcomed the Sonozaki girl without any second thoughts, stating how grateful he was of her taking care of him and his little sister during his coma.

Thenceforth, the pair formed a powerful bond that stretched all the way to their marriage, which only seemed to strengthen as a result of being officially recognized. Satoshi and Shion were ultimately blest with a child of their own decades later, a young boy who held characteristics deriving from his parents' personas, possessing his father's benign heart and his mother's supportive and mischief behavior.

"Ermm, Hanyuu-san," a timid Satoshi ejaculated, taking notice of the blank stare Hanyuu aimed in his direction. He seemed worried, intimidated even. "Is something wrong?"

Everyone else had stopped laughing by then. Looks of concern plastered on all of their faces as they gazed attentively at Hanyuu.

Hanyuu blinked dumbfoundedly before shaking her head. As Satoshi's words settled in, she politely responded with a beatific smile, "No, no, there aren't any troubles that bother me. Though I can't help but wonder, where's your son? I haven't seen him at all today."

"Oh, you mean Hitomu?" Satoshi relaxed as he delivered a grin of relief, no longer disturbed by the departed poker countenance Hanyuu wore earlier. "Well, last I saw him, he was venturing off alone to the food stands. It couldn't be for getting a bite to eat though. Hitomu promised he'd join us in our annual group activity." **[5]**

Shion chuckled, "Now that's no mystery, Satoshi-kun. Obviously, our boy is trying to live up to his name by accomplishing his one dream of wooing a certain girl he's set his heart on," she glanced at Rika slyly. "-particularly a young damsel who so happens to carry the Furude name."

"Cheh," Rika rolled her eyes. She looked back at Shion with disbelief, snorting, "Hitomu-kun has a _long _journey ahead of him before he's declared worthy to be my daughter's boyfriend. Tell him to quit his "ladies' man" act, and then we'll talk."

"Moouuu..." pouted Shion exaggeratedly. "Dearest Oyashiro-sama, what has happened to the innocent Rika-chan who was so blissful of everything? Why is she so solemn and abrasive in these times of fun?"

_'That's what I'd like to know.' _a bead of sweat dropped from Hanyuu's forehead.

The Furude priestess shrugged impassively. "She's on permanent vacation. Don't expect her back any time soon. Trust me, it'll save you a lot of pain," Rika continued, "Nothing personal. I'm holding massive issues with other things at the moment."

"Nyaha ha ha," Mion bellowed merrily, her hands placed firmly on her hips. "Fun Ruiner Rika-chan strikes again. Hmm, speaking of these youngsters, why don't we pay a visit to them? We're just about close to starting this year's gaming contest anyway."

Rena inclined her head affirmatively. "Sure, sounds good, but there's one thing that's bothering me..."

The redhead fished out a small black case from her pants pocket and opened it. Inside was a pair of prescription glasses laced in red-velvet frames. Equipping the round-rectangular spectacles on her person, Rena deposited her glasses case back in her pocket before scrutinizing Mion suspiciously. "...why do you look so nervous, Mi-chan? You're acting a bit too eager in leaving."

"Oi, good eye, Rena," Keiichi stepped in, examining the club leader with similar distrust. His frown began to thicken through the sixtieth of a minute, though just when the fifth second withered away, it flipped upside down. "Ah, I get it now. Your red herring ain't talking, Mion. Don't think you can escape your punishment game like that!"

"Eep!" Mion jumped as she tried to move away, only for Keiichi and Rena to follow her threateningly.

Dark chuckles exuded out from the lips of both menacing figures as they backed their prey to a dead end. Mion gulped nervously when she felt her back press softly against the tree's rough skin.

Keiichi was the first to take action. As soon as he reached the petrified Mion, he seized her right arm firmly, keeping it close to his chest. Rena followed by doing the same to Mion's other appendage, making sure to maintain a tight hold. They leered gleefully at their club leader in predator-like manner, daunting her further.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Kei-chan! Rena-chan!" looking back and forth between her two friends, Mion flapped her hands and feebly writhed about to break free. What little remained of her sneaky facade had completely dispelled, substituted for an unnerved visage. "N- Neither of you be hasty now. I'm sure w- we can somehow r- r- resolve this in a civilized manner..."

"We most definitely can," nodded Rena smirkingly. A glint of coveted fun twinkled in her baby ocean irises. "Keiichi-kun and I both decided to keep you imprisoned in our grasp until you take your penalty. Though we both tied for first place, that doesn't change the fact that you and everyone else are the losers to today's squirting-gun battle. Chickening out from the inevitable is a big no-no, Mi-chan."

Wearing a smug grin akin to his devious partner's, Keiichi concurred, "Couldn't have said it better myself, Rena. Our dear superior here should learn to accept her defeat. It isn't fair, considering all the times _she's_ planned out our demise. Justice must be served."

His midnight blue eyes skimmed over to the intrigued spectators who watched from afar.

Keiichi called out, "As for you all, fellow club members of mine, neither of you will be exempt from our wrath either! Each and every one of you _will_ deal with the punishments we dish out as well!" he shifted his attention to his wife. "Rika-chan, I have something _very_ special for you."

Rika smirked as her adult mind began brainstorming the salacious possibilities her husband had in store for her, _quote unquote_, punishment.

"Amen to that," Rena eyed everyone else so viciously, sending chills down their spines. "I'll put my career as Hinamizawa's greatest fashion designer to good use and force them all to try out the cutest clothes I hold in my inventory. Aha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The bespectacled redhead whipped her face up toward the darkening skies before cackling maniacally, as did Keiichi. Wolfish grins glazed over their gaping fanged lips. Mion, at the mercy of her howling captors, could only shrink back in fear, her perturbed mind pondering apprehensively over what was to come for her.

Everyone else fixed an awkward stare at Keiichi and Rena, unsure on how to react.

"Ermm, yeah, that's very nice," flashing a weak smile, Satoshi scratched his cheek nervously as the crazed, booming laughter subsided. "While I am glad to see you both overwhelmed in joy, we mustn't dawdle any longer. Don't forget, Rika-chan is going to perform her dance soon, so it's best to get to the festival now while there's still time."

Rena's face beamed brighter. "Yeah, that's right. We need to start our special club activity immediately."

"Heh heh heh," chuckled Keiichi, his confident grin broadening ear-to-ear. "All you people, prepare to be slaughtered. Keiichi Maebara is on the scene, ready to claim his crown as victor!"

Satoko narrowed her eyes at Keiichi. The vibrant fringes of her gold locks cast a faint shadow over her magenta orbs, stressing the defiant glare she donned. "Oh, no. Not so fast, you. As if I'm going to let that happen. Under my honor, you will be eating dirt while I win!"

"Tut-tut-tut," Shion clicked her tongue thrice, wagging her finger as she sternly eyed her companions. "Everyone is acting like they can beat us easily and get away with it." she glanced over to her blond lover. "Shall we, Satoshi-kun? Let's prove them wrong, together."

Satoshi lightly placed his hand on top of Shion's head, rubbing the big, tidy strands of emerald hair that brushed his palm gracefully. His wife's lips curled into a dreamy smile as he replied, "Of course. I promise I won't disappoint."

"Don't worry. I know..." cooed Shion, shifting side-by-side adorably.

"Hey, hey, I hope no one here is underestimating me," filled with sudden bravado, Mion asserted, "My loss in the last activity was a minor setback. I'm not down for the count just yet!"

The Furude women said nothing, though they showed off a beaming smile, admiring the complacency their friends bore shamelessly.

Rena pumped her fist in the air. "Let us depart for the festival, and determine the outcome of this game!"

"Right!" collective cries from the group rejoiced proudly.

[-x-]

And so the Gaming Club, as buoyant as ever, abandoned the outskirts that was their water gun battlefield and strode into the distorted hallways of the old trees leading to the festival.

Mion was out of her subordinates' grasp, though much to her annoyance, Keiichi and Rena hovered mistrustfully by her left and right. It was clear neither of the winners had any intentions in relenting their surveillance over Mion, worried she might cheat her way out of her punishment.

At that moment in time, the celestial heavens had dimmed. Its lightless form protruded from above, shrouding the moving group of friends in darkness. Everyone squinted, their irises adjusting to the dull setting. Though their vision stayed hazy, they could just about make out the vague globe lights from afar, most likely belonging to the festival's decorations.

While the others trekked down the murky path to their destination, fighting vigorously through the trees' crinkling leaves and flicking thin branches, Rika succumbed to her usual contemplation. Her movements were rather sluggish, indicating her lack of focus towards what went on with her surroundings.

_'Disregarding the three decades that have passed, all my friends, though hardened in middle age, retain their ebullience. They all remain the same high-spirited people I came to socialize with, yet they have gone through change, underwent new jovial experiences to keep as memories in this Reiwa era. How admirable. I only wish I can accept this embryonic life as easily as they can.'_ mused Rika.

The blue-haired woman browsed through her recollections, trying to recall what her companions pursued in their lives.

Rena, following her father's footsteps, achieved a bachelor's degree in the arts of fashion designing. From there, she invented many intricate styles of clothing. Her trends did pull away from the norm, but the sui generis motifs behind it came out appealing amongst the new generation. Rena was very successful with her job, and she consistently made diligent progress in her works, resulting in her receiving excellent finanial gain.

Mion attained a master's degree and sought to be Hinamizawa's substance abuse counselor. Through her remarkable social skills, the elder Sonozaki twin provided great assistance to those troubled from drugs overdose, alcoholism, as well as other various behavior problems. Mion's sessions with her clients usually ended in favorable outcomes. Thanks to her, many of Hinamizawa's - and even Okinomiya's - denizens lived very healthy lives.

Satoko earned a bachelor's degree through studious effort, and aimed to be a civil engineer. Putting her years worth of trap-making prowess to good use, she innovated new roads and sewerage systems to help expand her growing home village. Her arduious labor benefitted well for all the residents, especially since Hinamizawa was growing in population with new arrivals. The Trap Master was so pleased with her work, she strived to someday make an amusement park in Hinamizawa.

There was little progress, of course, but the creative ideas behind it dawdled. And with how Satoko and Mion, who was also head of the clan that held most control in Hinamizawa, conversed daily over the topic, it was a growing possibility that could potentially become reality.

For Shion, who was inspired by her sister's quest in helping the ill, she strived to earn a four-year Bachelor of Science degree and to work full time at the Irie Clinic as a nurse. Her goals came to life, and she assisted Dr. Irie significantly with the numerous patients that came by occasionally. Funny enough, around the same day Shion started her job there, Takano resigned from working at the clinic and moved over to America with Tomitake.

Speaking of them, the ex-nurse and photographer lived together as a happy married couple. They stopped by Hinamizawa once every year to participate in the Watanagashi festival. Takano and Tomitake also raised two kids together - a blond boy and a brunette girl, though Rika couldn't bother herself to remember who they were exactly.

And finally there was Hanyuu. The Furude debutante studied hard in her academics. She obtained a bachelor's degree in education, greatly desiring to teach the youth attending the branch school in Hinamizawa. Working alongside Chie Rumiko, a longtime educator of the campus, Hanyuu majored in Japan's ancient history. She was excellent in her job, helping the students excel in the subject through her ancient wisdom and making sure they all grew up as responsible individuals.

_'Yes...' _Rika smiled to herself. _'Everyone has evolved into prodigious citizens, filling in good roles that benefit well for themselves and for the people around them. They all leave quite an influence in the world. I'm... very glad to know them...'_

It almost seemed like Rika was about to cry in joy. Ruminating over her new life- the coveted life she struggled so hard to achieve- was enough to touch her deeply.

In truth, Rika couldn't predict what her world would have been like without the Endless June cocooning her in its prison. She had a hard time visualizing a good future she could take part of back then. Before, Rika believed that time ahead was but an empty void serving as a place holder for something that would never arrive.

But now, seeing the existing utopia through her own eyes, those negative notions dispersed and in its wake manifested strings of gates to promising fortune. Rika had her loved ones to thank for that. It was because of them that she could take part in a world devoid of looping anguish, and for that, they were rewarded with unblemished futures.

"Yes! We're just about there to the festival," Satoko called out enthusiastically, her fuchsia optics directed at the clouds of light blanketing the end of the forest.

Keiichi, his excitement protruding profoundly from his glimmering eyes and assertive grin, shouted feverishly, "Alright, let's go!"

As everyone trod over to the conclusion of their peregrination, they took in Mother Nature's woodsy scent, whisking away the forest's fragrance as a souvenir before silently bidding farewell. The resplendant radiance embosomed the group, ushering them over to its ephermal bowels, which would soon tone down in brightness and reveal their long-awaited destination.

[-x-]

The hour of darkness made its entrance, greeting the Furude Shrine below with incandescent stars fluttering incessantly from space. Arrays of pale light from the colossal moon descended down and showered the sacred grounds, cleansing away the scorching scars left by the sun.

Though the moonlight was unsung in appearance. Enchanting Japanese lanterns hung from the thin black lines suspended everywhere around the portable stalls unveiled its gold brilliance, secreting the moon's natural shedding.

Multifarious booths dispensing all kinds of food, liquid refreshments, and entertainment were aligned neatly throughout the entire area. Masses of people - some native to Hinamizawa and others visiting from Okinomiya - filled in the smooth, natural floors kept clean for the special occasion. Their indistinctive clamors sauntered alongside the fresh air swarming by.

Amidst the large crowd, a young boy seventeen years of age hung around near one of the stalls selling cotton candy. The bangs of his luxurious, strawberry blond hair curled upward. His round eyes took the form of shiny beryls, sparkling like jewels in a chamber of riches. Donned on his person was a black blazer that concealed a short-sleeved, button-up white collar shirt with a long blue tie, black jeans held together by a belt matching in color, and a pair of grey Vans sneakers.

"Hey," the boy began flirtatiously. "Have you ever dreamt of ascending to the stars? I know I have, and believe me, I've found a way to fulfill that fantasy," he stretched out a hand. "Take my hand, and I will guide you past heaven's horizons. It's going to be a breath-taking experience you won't ever forget."

In front of his longing gaze resided a teenage girl in her sweet sixteen who the boy surpassed by a few inches in height. Her long black hair with teal highlights, kempt neatly in a hime-cut hairstyle, was pulled back into a ponytail. Her azure-colored eyes swam circles around the black pupils as they fixated at the light exuding off the glowing rectangular screen before them. Hugged around the girl's petite figure was a black sundress adorned with blue roses. For footwear, she sported a set of midnight ballerina flats.

The girl rolled her eyes momentarily before looking back at the active iPhone in hand, a disgusted look apparent to her facial features. "I have yet to dream of reaching the stars, but I do recall a dream where you were shot down by a meteor. I couldn't fathom why; it was almost as if you tried to ask the beautiful stars out on a date, only to be... y'know, _rejected_."

"Oooh, that smarts," the blond male was taken aback, though his surprise disintegrated not too long after. He stepped closer to the girl, leaning against the stand's walls. Situated from his target's left wing with crossed arms, he leered disdainfully at the smartphone held by its owner. "Don't tell me your iPhone is more entertaining than me. It'd suck to be outclassed by such an heinous creation."

"_Heinous creation?_" quoted the girl, an eyebrow cocked as she voiced incredulously. "Who are you, my mom? All of you are so uptight over me using a phone. I mean, gee, it's not like it's _totally _normal to do so or anything. Pfft," she blew air. "Go bother somebody else, Hitomu."

Hitomu grinned deviously. He unfolded his arms and slung his right arm over the girl's shoulder. "Aah, but, my dear Mirai-chan, such a gift Oyashiro-sama has bestowed upon this great earth mustn't be unwrapped. It only makes sense for me to unravel the enigmatic beautiful you are and express my admirations."

"Well, it makes absolutely _zero _sense for _you_ to receive that honor," Mirai snorted. She pocketed her phone and glowered at the persistant charmer before seizing the hand near her neck harshly, making Hitomu wince.

The smooth-talker spoke in a pained voice, "N- Nghh... c'mon now, let's not take any drastic measur- _wooaahhhhhhhh...!_"

_Fa-thud!_

With an arduous heave of her arms, Mirai lifted Hitomu off his feet, and sent him plunging down to the ground, landing in a heap. Hitomu found himself groaning in dismay as aching pain surged through the back of his head fluidly. It was a miracle the poor boy hadn't suffered any severe damage from the throw.

Mirai, in spite of the strained, throbbing aches in both her arms, wore a triumphant smirk, pleased with having thrown the nuisance over her shoulder.

Everyone around watched the scene with mild interest, not too fazed from what transpired between the two teens. It was normal for such a thing to occur whenever Hitomu went on in his attempts to, unsuccessfully, woo Mirai over. Most just shrugged before carrying on in their business, while others continued to observe for amusement, murmuring amongst themselves over what would happen next. Not one of them was willing to intervene.

"Eee-yoww," Hitomu rubbed the back of his head, soothing the fading pain as he hauled himself up to sit criss-cross. "Now that shoulder throw was just plain cruel."

"Nope," said Mirai, popping the 'p' sound. "It's just about right for you, skirt-chaser. I suggest, for your health's sake, you cease and desist in your pointless pursuits. Unless you'd like me to appoint a special date for you and the ground again. Yes, you will learn to accept the _rough _truth of your pitiful delusions that way."

Hitomu, with pale-green irises gleaming eagerly, responded by chuckling, "Surely you jest. I know how adamant you are in preventing me from escaping my single status. You make sure that I don't get involved with any other girl romantically."

"Obviously," the teal-haired girl replied dryly, completely unaware of the pink tinge blooming from her cheeks. "I worry over whoever you seduce. No innocent women deserves such a horrific fate. It's literally the one reason why I even bother associating with you."

The flirt wasn't buying it. "I think not. You're way into my business to mean that. No, it's something else, isn't it?" he began to notice Mirai's reddened cheeks. With his smug grin broadening, Hitomu teased, "Now, wait. You appear to be blushing, my dear Mirai-chan. How could this be? Hmm... well, if I know my vocabulary definitions, when one blushes, it shows they're embarrassed."

Mirai scoffed, "Psshh... people also blush in shame, and I'm _ashamed_ that I have to deal with you right now."

Hitomu broke his sitting position and stood on his feet. He walked towards Mirai, only stopping when he reached her personal space. Leaning in marginally with eyebrows arched, the blond carefully examined Mirai's face, not once blinking as he kept an impassive expression.

After several seconds of stillness, Hitomu grinned again. "You are worried- no, _afraid_, aren't you? You're scared you might lose me to someone else."

_"What?!"_ Mirai exclaimed, her voice high-pitched. She crossed her arms. Her face formed a look of disgust, though her flushed cheeks remained. "Don't be ridiculous! You and your perverted thoughts, _hmphff_!"

The smirking boy placed his fists on his hips. "Y'know, ever since I was little, my mom's always told me that a pang of jealousy is a bang to pride. Wise woman, I tell ya. And now that I see you like this, I start to understand what she meant."

Though the teal-haired girl refrained from retorting, she couldn't resist thinking, _'Momma's boy...'_

"There's my boy!" a new voice called out.

Hitomu glanced off to his right wing. "Speak of the devil. Mom!"

In the midst of lingering inhabitants from both Hinamizawa and Okinomiya, Shion Sonozaki, alongside her husband and her friends, waved in greeting at the two bantering youths. A warm smile thoroughly masked her visage.

Shion trod over to her son, with the others following her from behind. Almost immediately when she reached him, the mother enveloped Hitomu in a loving hug, letting her cheek nestle against his own. "Hey there, my precious single dream. Anything new going on?"

"M- Mom, please!" Hitomu cried out, embarrassed. "Not in front of Mirai-chan- I mean- _public!_ Not in public, please!"

"Now, son, you know I have every right to act this way," Shion chided, eying him sternly. She pulled Hitomu away, though her hands still kept a hold on him. "You are a seventeen-year-old boy, just a year away before you, as the wolf, would eventually leave the pack. I fret over what you would do with your life sometimes."

Satoshi laughed, "There's no need to worry, Shion-san. I'm sure our boy can take good care of himself. Though, maybe it's best if you weren't too affectionate over him in public. People around might make fun of him for it."

"Mouuu..." pouted his wife as she released her son, huffing and crossing her arms cutely. "Is it really so wrong for a mother to care so much about her child?"

"Of course not, though it's probably best not to embarrass Hitomu with other people around. That won't leave a great impression for him," Satoshi replied kindly.

Shion sighed in relentment, "I suppose you raise a good point."

"Oho, ho, ho," Satoko bellowed, joining in on the conversation. The adult blonde stood adjacent to Shion's side as she faced a shamefaced Hitomu. "My dear nephew, you should be grateful to have Shion-san as a parent. She has great finesse in what she does, and that's tending for those in need, hence her renowned position as a nurse. Remember that well. You might need her, and probably my Nii-nii too, later on."

Satoko's statement earned her a gracious smile from Shion.

Hitomu scratched his neck, looking rather sheepish. "Ermm, yeah, sure, I'll keep that in mind, auntie Satoko."

Watching the Houjou family interact, Rena bit her lip as curbed desire pranced around in her baby blue eyes. As the common saying usually went, "Old habits die hard". Although Rena learned over time to refrain from taking anything she deemed cute home, the urges still tended to emanate every now and then.

Upon discerning her wiggling auburn-haired friend's predicament through an observant glance, Mion pointed out teasingly, "Having trouble quelling your cute-mode, Rena-chan?"

"Don't tempt me, Mi-chan. Otherwise, I might just settle for taking you home instead," Rena cast her hungry eyes at Mion in predator-like fashion.

That was enough to instantly silence the club leader.

As for Keiichi and the Furude family, they were all grouped together in a bundle, observing their friends casually converse with one another. Rika, Hanyuu and Keiichi wore soft smiles as they watched, pleased to see how unsurprisingly well everyone was getting along.

Mirai stared with a sneer, aiming her acute gaze at Hitomu particularly. "Poor thing, can barely stand on his own two feet, yet he believes he can have me as his girlfriend."

"I keep on telling them," her mother began reprehensively as she shook her head, now wearing a look of disappointment. "The boy has a lot more food on his plate to gobble up before he can reach the desserts."

"...what?" asked Mirai, confused.

"Hitomu-kun isn't ready to date you yet," Rika answered flatly.

"Amen to that," her daughter bobbed her head.

Keiichi briefly looked back-and-forth between the two interacting bluenettes beside him. He laid his hand on top of Mirai's head before jovially tousling her sea-green and black mane in rough fashion while wrapping a loving arm around Rika.

The chocolate-hair-colored male felt the smooth, soft strands of hair brush soothingly against his bare palm as he laughingly remarked, "Now, now, you two, let's not be harsh to Hitomu. At the moment, he's a growing boy in heart and body. Besides, there isn't anything wrong with receiving family love. I'm sure you two need it as well, ha ha!"

His daughter's rounded cheeks tinged in pink over the paternal gesture. She whinged, "Dad, not cool!"

"Ever the faithful for everyone, aren't you, Keii?" Rika grunted. She set an open hand on one hip as her amethyst eyes averted to the opposite of Keiichi. Her left shoulder tingled, tickled by the accumulating warmth exuding from Keiichi's resting hand on it.

"Ever the cynical against everyone, huh?" countered Keiichi happily. He grinned, "Come on, Rika-chan. I know deep under all that tough, pessimistic exterior, you're happy to attain the new prospered life that is Hitomu in this family of ours. Same goes for our child as well. Don't hide it; you know I'm right~."

Rika couldn't supress the amused look forming on her face. As the head of the Furude family continued to glance away, she chuckled lowly, "Keep telling yourself that, aibou. Whatever makes you satisfied." **[6]**

"_Hah!_ Babe, you sure know how to crack me up," Keiichi withdrew his hand away from Rika's shoulder. He dragged it over to his wife's scalp before sending it across the cascading waterfall of cerulean, flowing downward in a pulled-back ponytail she donned, sending pleasural shivers down Rika's spine.

Hanyuu clasp her hands together, merrily chirping, "I'm glad we're settling well amongst ourselves. Cordiality in family, whether blood or non-blood related, is a must," she bobbed her head upward, letting the tresses of her short lilic hair hop slightly. Her face lit up as realization dawned. "Oh, wait. Shouldn't we be starting our club-sanctioned competition right about now?"

"I haven't forgotten," Mion answered gleefully. She stepped into the center between the Furude and Houjou families, with Rena situated amongst the latter. Clearing her throat deliberately, the club leader proclaimed, "Everyone! Cease your discussions! It's about time to start our Battle of Evils!"

The Battle of Evils was a traditional game for the group. Once every year, whenever the Watanagashi festival rolled around, the Gaming Club would assemble together to tackle all the food and game booths nearby, competing against one another until the end just before the start of Rika's ceremonial dance, where the one with most wins would be declared victorious.

For punishments, the severity was doubled for losers. Depending on the winner's decisions, penalty games could result in just about anything, ranging from crossdressing to being a slave to even partaking a brutal dare that spelled trouble for the loser.

All the participants would follow the sworn oath- the number one rule to the Gaming Club, and that was to do whatever it took to attain victory, no matter the adversities!

"Ah'ight!" cheered Keiichi ecstatically. "Guess this year's going to be the Battle of Eight Evils, with us eight club members and Hitomu as an addition."

"Count our daughter in too," his wife threw in.

To say Mirai looked shocked was an understatement. She stared at her indigo-haired mother in bafflement. "What?!"

Rika grinned evilly, "Sorry, did I stutter, little one? You are going to step into the fray alongside us," the glint in her eyes intensified. "Unless you'd love your allowance to be diminished _severely_."

The youngest Furude gasped in utter horror. It was bad enough that her mom hardly paid her (thankfully, she had both her daddy and aunt Hanyuu to back her up in that department), but to lose what little of her pivileges completely? The mere thought was inconceivable! "No, not that; anything but that! I need my money!"

"Then comply," Rika simply replied, presenting an open hand out to the appalled Mirai. "And while you're at it, hand me your phone. You get way too distracted by that piece of junk."

"Eh.. Ehh..." Mirai whirled her head over to her other family, silently pleading for their help. Hanyuu and Keiichi exchanged pensive glances, before dismally gazing back at Mirai with shaking heads.

The turquoise-haired girl felt disappointment arise within herself, displeased that neither of her relatives were willing to see reason.

She looked back at her mother, her bubbling cyanic eyes trembled greatly as fresh tears brimmed all around it. Mirai thickened her frown, displaying soft, unstrained light-pink lips that curved smoothly across between both cheeks. The Furude offspring prodded forlornly, "Mommy... spare me from your undisputed fury. Don't be mean; be happy, for me. Nipah, nipah..."

"Psshh..." Rika appeared unfazed at the puppy-dog eyes sent by her distraught daughter. Her fingers splayed thrice, giving the palm of her hand a chance to stretch. "Oh please, that's not how you use the _"nipah"_ phrase. Also, no. I shall not grant you mercy. Hand me your gadget at once."

_'What?! My signature "get what I want" expression didn't work! Shit! Why is mom always so cold-hearted?'_ panicked Mirai inwardly.

"B- bu- but my beloved mother, surely you can express some reconsideration for your sole, graceful heir. Surely-" Mirai began imploring, only to stop upon noticing the unyielding stone look on her mother's unwavering visage. She was taken aback by the scathing glare. After a few tense seconds of silence, the teen gave up with a sigh. "...nevermind. I've said my piece."

"Hnngh, _I_ would have conceded..." Rena remarked as she watched Mirai begrudgingly lent her iPhone over to Rika, who pocketed the device without hesistation.

"I'm sure you would, Rena," commented an expressionless Rika dryly, scrutinizing her lamenting daughter, who was sulking hard over the confiscation of her phone. Not a single ounce of empathy emanated from the Furude matriarch.

Sneakily, Hitomu shot a taunting smirk at Mirai for a split second before quickly contorting his demeanor back to a more softer expression, not wanting her to notice. Turning away, he looked at the familiar adults around him and cheered, "Yay, Mirai-chan's going to participate!"

"-at the cost of my phone and freedom. Yippe," Mirai sorely interjected with a look of dismay.

"Alright, that's enough," beginning to change the subject, Mion spoke up curtly. Her teal eyes swept fluidly across from left-to-right, scanning all her subordinates with expectation. "With all eight club members assembled, added by the two newbies present, I declare this year's event to be the Battle of _Ten_ Evils. And for our starting point, I say we try out the shaved-ice booth first."

The club leader bared her shiny white teeth. Her broad, curled lips climbed up to her nose successfully. She leveled a mirthful feline gaze at the midnight skies above, proudly pumping a raised fist and at the same time announced, "Let the competition... _commence!_"

[-x-]

Thus with Mion's decree, the Battle of Ten Evils went underway. All the club members, plus Hitomu and Mirai, placed their own cunning wits and resourceful strengths to the test, strenuously colliding against the tussles of challanges that shrouded victory within its barricade.

All the contestants stormed through many obstacles; first confronting the bitterly-cold, brain freeze-inducing blizzards that were the shaved snow cone.

Next came devouring the scorching infernos of the _Takoyaki_, whose phoenix spices scalded everyone's taste buds to near death.

After that, they undertook the trial of consuming cotton candy. The colorful spun sugar, fleeced in masses of bacteria, heatedly craved to unleash cavities upon the shiny teeth that dared gnaw on its fluffy form.

Lastly, the club partook in the classic shooting gallery, a test that challenged them - not in metabolism, strong jaws, nor the ability to gulp down large quanitities of edibles, but - in keen eyesight and perfect precision for firing air pellets at various prizes.

The games were more than demanding for everyone. Each and every single one of the participants poured in their best efforts and individual talents for the matches, their gallantry never once unswerving. Though all of them withheld powerful ambitions in winning, only one member would assume the first place throne for themself.

And that person so happened to be Hitomu.

"I did it! I won!" Hitomu bellowed in pleasure as he boastfully held up two fingers forming a 'V' shape for victory. On top of his left shoulder was a giant, pristine blue-plush penguin, his grand prize for winning the shooting range. The Houjou youth cavorted triumphantly, paying no attention to the amazed and disbelieving looks sent from the other combatants.

Heavily irked over the boy's boisterous flaunting, Mirai hissed in venom, "This is absolute bullshit!"

"Language," scolded Hanyuu.

Mion wasn't very pleased either. "Mirai-chan took the words out of my mouth," she shook her head and quickly corrected, "...in a more vulgar manner of speaking anyway. First, I lose to Kei-chan and Rena-chan; now I'm bested by a _newbie_. This old man should really consider retiring..."

"N'aww... don't be like that, Onee," Shion began to placate, marginally disheartened over her sister's attitudinal ire. "You know everyone has to fall to the wayside eventually, even to one so inexperienced. Those are just minor setbacks for you- a real discouragement. On the positive side, I'm glad to see our pride and joy take triumph."

"Agreed," Satoshi piped in merrily. He wrapped his arm around Shion, staring at his wife's disgruntled twin with a soft, content smile. "As consolation, you can at least lose knowing that your nephew takes after you in prevailing."

"Heh heh heh... I suppose you two are right," perking up in higher spirits, Mion cracked a lopsided grin at her sister and brother-in-law.

Satoko, appearing quite proud for her nephew, complimented, "A very commendable accomplishment, Hitomu-kun. You've clearly been learning from our prior Battle of Evils," she crossed her arms and smirked. "So tell me, what punishments do you have planned for the losers? Surely, you aren't planning on being mean to me or your family."

_'Little sneak.'_ Keiichi rolled his eyes. How typical of Satoko to attempt snaking her way out of the penalty game. Even at a dwindled age, the likes of her and Mion were too spineless in accepting their defeat. _'No wonder they used to cheat so much in card games...'_

Hitomu shook his head in refusal. "Nope. Actually, there's only one person I plan on punishing today."

He glanced over to a disgruntled Mirai, whose usual azure eyes flared a firestorm of flaming fury. Hot steam partically spewed out from her ears. Expressing his oh-so-good-but-not-really-good sportsmanship, Hitomu started, "Oh, my dear Mirai-chan~! It's a shame you lost, though your tenacity in trying to win is very awe-striking. I've never seen such determination out of you before."

"Save the false flattery for when Pluto gets wind of your inflated ego. Just get to the point, skirt-chaser," fumed Mirai snidely.

Said "skirt-chaser" waved off the derogatory nickname with an acute laugh.

"It's reassuring to know you still preserve a penchant of making witty retorts. Well fine then, here's the dealio," Hitomu unfolded his plans, "Since I'm the winner and you're the loser, as derived from our perspective roles, you have no choice but to be my maid for two weeks. You do whatever I tell you to do without question, and that includes spending some quality time with _moi_. Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Immediately when he finished, Mirai's eyes widened, aghast greatly. The process of garnering the contents of her asinine punishment weren't prolonged. She couldn't believe what was transpiring; it was bad enough that her mom confiscated her smartphone. But not only did she lose the Battle of Ten Evils abysmally, now she had to involuntarily serve as Hitomu's slave?!

A seething, sporadic scowl overtook the glamorous visage Mirai sported. Already, she could feel the instilled humiliation ravage her pride savagely. Not her mother nor Hitomu- or even anyone else for that matter- would ever let her live her punishment down.

Mirai silently growled at the pompous flirt under her reticence.

"Aahh, just letting it all soak in. Me - a mere pauper who can't afford the rich love of the Furude family's Princess - pleasured cordially by the lustrous Mirai Furude herself. The thought alone leaves me in an euphoric stupor," Hitomu sighed dreamily.

Then he blinked and fleetingly shook his head, snapping out of his daze. Hitomu looked back at the massive, plump blue penguin hoisted on top of his shoulder. The stuffed toy animal's faux-fur jutted mildly, forcing the fuzzy tiny blades to scrape Hitomu's neck harmlessly. Its flippers dangled down past its head. For the face, the stuffed penguin wore an squishy, blunt orange beak opposite to the blue sea of water washing down its whole body, and its bubbly, innocent brown eyes buldged outward.

Hitomu grinned broadly before forcing the plushy bridal-style, holding it delicately under his arms. He pushed the plush animal towards Mirai, stating, "For your first order, you must carry this enormous penguin that I won in recognition of my greatest victory over you and our seniors. Cherish it well, I command you!"

Thin branches of buldging veins protruded from Mirai's left temple as her right eye twitched erratically, though regardless, the teal-haired girl acceded to the demand, taking the pristine plushie in an affectionate hold.

"Well, sufficit to say, I think this year's Watanagashi turned out well," Rena commented as her ogling eyes transfixed on the stuffed penguin in Mirai's arms. _'That adorable penguin... if only I could take it home...'_

Mion shrugged impassively. "Eh, I liked last year better when I beat you all and won."

"You would," scoffed Keiichi.

"Furude-sama!" an elderly voice called out in a slightly panicked tone. Everyone pulled their attention over to see a woman in her sixties shuffle toward them, appearing very distressed. "Thank goodness I found you! What are you doing? You mustn't waste time any longer. The ceremonial dance is about to start soon, and you need to be ready."

Rika visibly blanched. Peering down at the watch enveloping her left wrist, she studied the hour and minute hands that shifted clockwise. "Oh no! There's only ten minutes left, barely enough time for me to get changed into my maiden garbs. Sorry everyone, but now I must depart."

Just when the Furude matriarch took a quick step, she stopped tersely. Rika found herself groaning and leaning downward, flinching visibly as she eyed her abdomen.

"Rika!" Hanyuu called out, concern frothing the sparkles of her eyes. "Are you okay?!"

The bluenette felt her stomach tightened profoundly. Her insides felt as if they were tethered together in a knot clustered with masses of thick material. Rika doubled over and clutched her churning gut. Keiichi and Mirai tended to the distressed matron and tenderly held her from both sides, making sure Rika didn't collapse. Everyone else encircled the three with worried looks.

"Ngnnhh..." Rika groaned audibly. Her stomach was puffing out marginally, refusing to pull back. Beads of dangling sweat amassed from her forehead. She lifted her head and faced the elder messenger. "D... Damn it... all the food I ate from our competition is- _ugh_\- taking its toll on me. Seems my metabolism isn't as efficient as it used to be..."

Hanyuu gently pressed a delicate hand on the center of her ample bosoms, nervously stating, "This is bad. You've eaten too much and now you're not in the right condition for performing the ritual dance. What are we going to do...?"

"Well, we certainly can't cancel the ceremony, otherwise the Reiwa 1 Watanagashi festival would end horribly and all its preparations are going to serve in vain," the messenger answered, a dejected expression masked over her shriveled face. "On the other hand though, we can't just force Furude-sama to perform if she's in such a troubling state."

Hitomu ran his hand through his blond hair as he stared at Rika sympathetically. "This is turning to be quite the conundrum."

An unreadable look veiled Mirai's visage.

Rika's eyebrows crumbled as her optics squinted, highlighting the strain sullying her features. Feeling the insurmountable gut pain worsen, she lowered and came close to crumpling, causing Keiichi and Mirai to strengthen their hold. She uttered weakly, "I doubt I can recover in time. Is it possible to delay the dance until futher notice? Would the people react reasonably?"

Her friends exchanged unsure glances amongst themselves. Hanyuu delivered a crestfallen gaze to her relative and poignantly replied, "Rika... that might not be an optimal solution. People can only wait for so long."

"Shit, shit, _shit!_ For such involuntary plight to occur at this juncture... how dreadful," Rika grimaced, a dark look cast over her face. She dismissed the incredulous gaping looks sent from her friends, who were astonished to hear the bluenette mutter such vulgar language. "What options do we have?"

Rika cast her gaze below, her eyes taking interest with the pair of feet over the ground. Befuddlement lumbered around the Furude miko and her companions in looping circles. Everyone seemed to be trapped in an impasse. The Kagura dance was only minutes away, and Rika wasn't in the right condition to proceed accordingly. What could they possibly do?

"Perhaps I can improvise," a feminine voice offered promptly.

The whole gang swiveled their heads to pinpoint the voice's origins. Their surprise returned upon discovering the imposing revelation that was Mirai Furude. Even Rika's sullen expression was washed away by confoundment's tsunamis.

Gathering attention from Hitomu and her seniors, Mirai vehemently hammered her cleavage with a closed fist. Flaunting a reassuring grin, the Furude youth continued, "Yes, you all heard correctly. Consider me the remedy to resolve this issue, mother. I will take over, and dazzle the audience... as your substitute priestess!"

[-x-]

"We are so screwed."

Keiichi loured disapprovingly at the tactless remark. "Babe, don't be so condemning. Our daughter is willing to perform the sacred dance in your place. Shouldn't you say something more encouraging?"

"Very well, Keii, I retract my statement," Rika paused with a beaming expression... only to flip her smile upside down and surly commented, "We are _indefinitely_ screwed, all the way to next Sunday."

The blue-haired priestess averted her glowering gaze away from her husband. Shortly after Mirai's daring announcement, Rika didn't squander the chance to spurn her suggestion. She argued that Mirai had zero experience in a shrine maiden's duties and was doomed to fail abysmally, despite the placating words from her daughter.

Of course, everyone else were in consensus over the idea. Under acquiescence, they all agreed to permit Mirai to execute her plan, much to Rika's ornery disfavor. The bluenette desperately continued expressing her strong convictions, though due to majority rule from the others, her disputes were quickly shot down, and she begrudgingly consented in the end.

The last Rika saw of her daughter at that time was when she scuttled in company with the elder messanger to get changed into her miko garbs, waving goodbye happily.

Currently, the gang were situated amidst the audience in front of the Furude Shrine. Rika sat on a foldable silver chair, her bare-legs suffered bone-piercing chills from the cold metal seat supporting her bottom. Adjoining the indigo-haired woman was a small outdoor trash bin, a safety precaution in case Rika needed to spew out her contents. The Hinamizawa and Okinomiya residents passed incredulous glances at Rika every now and then, unaware as to why she was present amongst the crowd.

A droplet of sweat trickled down Rika's left temple. She dreaded the impromptu performance that would shortly betide before her and the others. Oh, the _shame_ that would ensue once Mirai started the ceremony; Rika would probably consider the notion of living as a nomadic recluse!

Her absentminded, phone-addicted daughter was foolishly disregarding the consequences of her own actions, and to make matters worse, the Gaming Club weren't the least bit anxious about it. No, they were all sanguine, willing to watch the events unfold in buoyant anticipation alongside the happy-go-lucky spectators whom were excited for the ritual dance.

Why was everyone so malleable? Why couldn't they, without rhyme or reason, understand her apprehension? Sure, she came off callous and judgmental, but it was done out of worry, not meer spite. Was it really so bad to stop her ill-prepared daughter from making a fool out of herself?

"Rika-chan," Keiichi planted a strong, but gentle and chivalrous hand above his wife's plump belly, stroking it cordially as he sat on a foldable chair right next to her. Apparently, he had picked up another available seat for himself while Rika was in her occasional musings. "Your stomach doing okay?"

"I- I'm just fine, thanks," while fumbling through her words, Rika squirmed bashfully as the fervent warmth flooded over her stomach inwardly. Without any logical explanation, Keiichi always seemed to inject a sense of oozing tenderness that would course through her veins whenever he gave even the lightest touch. Never could Rika suppress the feeling.

"Good to hear," a relieved grin plastered all over Keiichi's features.

He glanced to the face of the empty Furude Shrine residing above the gravel stairs. Torch stands were set to the sacred temple's wings, erupting resplendent jutted flames that faintly lit the area through its tiny winding body. Hidden behind the torches were two enormous gongs. Centered at the shrine was an altar sustaining the immense weight of large white futons carrying cotton from within. Lastly, the prodigious statue of the great deity, Oyashiro-sama, loomed over the altar with a solemn gaze.

The Maebara patriarch finished, "It wouldn't be good for you to miss out on our daughter's first ritual."

Rika seized and squeezed her husband's hand with her own, ending his caressing massage. She stared at him with a pessimistic frown.

"Keiichi," that got Keiichi's attention. Ever since the emergence of their now-blossomed marriage, Rika only referred to Keiichi by nickname, either _"Keii"_ or _"aibou"_. It was seldom for her to address him by full name, but when she did, that meant startling issues were afoot. When Keiichi looked back to his wife, she continued bluntly, "Do you think our daughter is ready for this?"

"_Mm-hmm_, without a doubt. Indisputably so," nodded Keiichi at moment's notice.

His wife was momentarily stunned. There it was again: the same, poised disposition that unnerved her defeatist aspect. Rika felt incredibly incited from it. Keiichi's arcane behavior was inapt - facetious even - to the pressing problem at hand, and Rika couldn't figure out what the hell was going on in that head of his.

"And why is it you feel that way?" Rika questioned succinctly, her calm voice curbing the boiling resurgence of rage threatening to burst free. "This situation with me having to sit out in performing the ceremonial dance is unprecidented, not to mention that our child is willing to recklessly fulfill my priestess duties, despite her lack of experience. Do you not comprehend apprehension?"

Almost immediately afterwards, the bluenette quickly shut her mouth and began berating herself. She inwardly wished she could retract those words. It was an incredibly inane query to ask, especially to someone as audacious as Keiichi.

"Heh heh... obstinate as always, are we, Rika-chan?" Keiichi chuckled lowly as he grinned mirthfully. "You forget, Mirai is both a Furude and a Maebara, regarded as the superb descendent of two venerable, judicious individuals. As parents with consummate feats, we confront any obstacles in our path without hesistance, regardless of whether or not the odds against us. And naturally, as a symptom of heredity, our daughter shares this trait from us."

Rika blankly blinked, beginning to assimilate her husband's words.

Upon perceiving the befuddled countenance sprawled over the pasty visage of his blue-haired wife, Keiichi gently pried his hand off Rika's tight hold before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He pulled Rika closer to his side, his fingers kneading her shoulder cordially as he did so.

"Ease yourself, Rika-chan. Anxiety subjugates the human mind and dilutes our ability to see the successions of ourselves and others." Keiichi's hand descended to Rika's upper arm as his gaze returned to the Furude Shrine. "Don't be so perturbed and let Mirai's actions play out. I assure you today won't turn out as bad as you think it will."

The Furude head said nothing, only keeping her eyes transfixed on the hale male sitting beside her.

Keiichi Maebara possessed a personality that was so surreal, yet bonafide, and he spoke in such a way that left his captivated listeners drowning in admiration over him. When she thought more about it, Keiichi, though unbridled in his rash assertiveness, was a juggernaut through his words of wisdom. That was how he rightfully earned the epithet, _"Magician of Words"_, at the tender age of sixteen. It was scarce for anyone to acknowledge his title, though everyone was aware of it.

_'Hmmm... maybe I should accede to his request. Keii always has his heart in the right place. There is invariably at least one good reason for every deed he's commited.'_ considered Rika in a thoughtful manner. Keiichi was a venerable figure. He impacted her life in a way that made her fall head-over-heels for him. His notable methods usually ensued favorable outcomes for all.

And in the case of their daughter's unexpected decision, it was no different. Whatever submissive assessment he held towards that case, there was an optimal cause in his conviction.

Rika's head lolled off to the side and rested against the burly physique belonging to her significant other, with heavy-lidded eyes sewn shut as she cooed indistinctly. Serving as Akasaka's protege did Keiichi wonders in developing a mascular, six-packed figure from at the intense training of martial arts.

With pensive thoughts marginally more hearty than before, she mused, _'Yes, perhaps that would be for the best. I'll put my faith in his judgement, though I can only hope that Keii knows what he's doing...'_

"Hey, look! Mirai-chan's about to start performing," Rena spoke up in a chirpy tone while holding the blue giant penguin in her arms. Mirai entrusted her with the plush animal before she went off to prepare.

Rika hauled away from Keiichi and sat up straight, her violaceous eyes shot wide open. She gazed at the big consecrated temple with sudden attentiveness.

True to Rena's words, there appeared Mirai Furude, treading over to the heart of the denizens' viewpoint. She wore over her petite frame a white-sleeved kimono jacket, a red hakuma, and a pair of red-lace, brown sandals over her white-socked feet, all pertained to a Shinto shrine maiden's appearance. Her teal-black ponytail was tied with a pure-white hair ribbon, complimenting the blood-red lily embellishing the left side of her head.

Gripped firmly in Mirai's dainty hands was a long, gold ritual hoe. Thick red rope, accompanied with white spiraling ribbons and a lustrous-yellow sleigh chime, was tied above the metal blade. Mirai traced the smooth, shaved timber of the handle tentatively, ignoring the faint vibrating sound of the bouncing jingle bell as she reached the altar. Everyone remained silent, with Rika inwardly noting the faint traces of sweat and nervous look on her daughter's face.

Mirai turned to face the futon-stacked altar and knelt down on both knees, gently placing the ceremonial implement on the floor in front of her as she did so. Her hands settled together on top of the confined space between her thighs and her eyes sealed as she bowed her head politely at the hallowed statue before her.

The sixteen-year-old shrine maiden began to move her mouth, indistinct whispers exuded from the warping crevasses of her lips. The audience continued watching; they weren't oblivious to the display in front of them. It was standard procedure to recite prayers to Oyashiro-sama before beginning the dance.

_'She actually remembered to pray first instead of immediately conducting the ritual... impressive. How very impressive.'_ having picked up the inaudible, hissing murmurs from her daughter, Rika delivered a small smile to her child, displaying a look of approval.

A minute was whisked away, and then Mirai slowly arose to her feet while taking hold of the ritual hoe once more. Spinning on her heels, she revolved gracefully and gazed at the spectators with solemn countenance. Around the back of the temple, two men clad in white kimonos and masks snuck to the gongs stealthily, holding wooden scepters with their backs turned away from the audience.

Mirai fidgetted slightly, an iota hesistant in executing the ceremony. Notwithstanding her well-known reputation as the prodigious child of the Furude family, Mirai wasn't quite used to being the center of attention. Deep down though, she couldn't afford to shamefully withdraw her role in cowardice. Her family and everyone else was expecting a wonderful performance from her after all.

The Furude youth took in a bundle of fresh air through her nose, before expelling it out from her mouth as a heaved, pacific sigh. She positioned the grasped hoe and forced the thin blade part to protrude above her head.

_Tinkle, tinkle, tink..._

Mirai swung down the hoe, stopping just mere inches above the ground. Reverberating _rings _from the shaking sleigh bell echoed throughout the holy grounds. At the same time, dull, thundering _thumps_ reasonated as ligneous scepters collided against the flat stomach of the gongs. Mirai guided the implement in hand across to her left, sweeping the air between the floor and her ankles.

_Tinkle-tinkle..._

The substitute priestess gracefully performed a 360-degree twirl, slightly shifting to her left while slowly raising the spinning garden tool above her head. Mirai brought the gleaming golden blade downward once more, inducing more melodic _chimes_ from the bell adorning the hoe. She swiveled again, this time rotating and shifting over to the opposite direction, before sending the twirling tool below to the front right where her toes pointed.

_Tinkle-tinkle..._

Mopping the air left-to-right, Mirai withdrew her left hand off from the handle as she pulled the hoe behind her back with the other.

The performing shrine maiden then propelled her free balled-fist toward the crowd, before uncurling her fingers and stretching it off to the far left direction. Afterwards, she flipped her left hand upside-down, pulled out her right hand holding the hoe, and used both hands to grasp the handle tightly as she thrusted the ceremonial implement forward, all done in deftly motion.

_Tink..._

"Amazing! I've never seen Mirai-chan conduct the ritual dance like Rika-san, but here she is, carrying out the ceremony with incredible finesse," an awe-strucken Hitomu whispered amiably to his parents, who both inclined their heads in agreement.

_"Oohs"_ and _"Aahs"_ emitted from the audience as they scrutinized Mirai through interested eyes. The Gaming Club were grinning broadly at the spectacle, pleased to see Mirai dance smoothly. As for Keiichi and Rika, the married couple uttered no words. They simply gazed at their daughter, with thoughts cogitating on the surrogate priestess through in-depth analysis.

Mirai was fluid in her movements. The way she swayed about expressed elegance from her heavenly cute charms, yet also displayed a sense of roughness that conveyed her assertive and slightly-rebellious personality. The lack of gentleness, however, did nothing to worsen her graceful maneuvers. If anything, it actually seemed to further enhance the ritual dance. The especial flavor of their daughter's character, which made her stand out to the crowd so well, was a good touch to her performance.

And upon further assessment, there was something else that peaked both parents' interest. Mirai's appearance was stunning, from the curtaining swings of her long, cascading teal-black hair to her glittering, vibrant azure irises, and to her reposeful, innocent face blended with a vanilla complexion. The colorless sleeves and red hakuma hems of her immaculate shrine maiden attire fluttered nimbly with each sharp, elegant move presented.

The youngest of the Furude family held traits analogous to that of her mother and father. No doubt were the seraphic aspects of Mirai's outer looks derived from her prepossessing mother. Then, there was the case of her hasty, dynamic manuevers, which most definitely resembled her father's admirable qualities in taking initiative.

But what was most remarkable was her placid gaze, the sky-blue bubbles which evinced Keiichi's firm self-assurance of achieving the impossible and Rika's stern, collected demeanor that emerged sporadically in times of solemn circumstances. To the married couple, if it weren't for the distinctive appearance and jejune characteristics that defined Mirai Furude, looking at the young shrine maiden would have exactly been like looking at a fusion between themselves.

As Keiichi and Rika continued to stare silently in awe at their daughter, Hanyuu glanced over to them briefly before scanning her niece with an impressed expression. _'Very extraordinary child... who'd thunk that the daughter of Rika Furude and Keiichi Maebara could turn out to be such a precious gem. Mirai-chan is going to get very far in life, that's for sure.'_

Mirai soon ceased the ceremonial dance, silencing the harmonious _chimes_ that emitted off the ritual tool's wagging gold sleigh bell. She ambled and swinged her hips, letting her top sleeves and split-trouser hems slither around her wrists and ankles. The hoe in possession mirrored its owner's rocking motion, gaily bobbing its red rope and white-coiled ribbons ornaments.

Eventually, the youngest Furude stopped in her steps, hovering before the pile of amassed thick futons resting on top of the altar. She fixed an unblinking, imperturbable look at the sagging bags. The torch stands adjoined on each side shone radiantly, providing Mirai intense backlighting that captured the dramatic atmosphere.

Situated in the opposite side to Mirai, the enormous and inert sculpture of Oyashiro-sama leered its stern gaze down upon its miko and altar, awaiting the climax of the ritual.

Gripping the handle firmly, Mirai hefted the decorated implement over her head, allowing its transversed gold blade to glint from the reflective glare of the torches. The sparkling chime quivered and emanated a shaky _jingle_. Everyone stood frozen like statues, awaiting the yearning finale of the Shinto ritual.

Then, Mirai plunged the sharp, edged part of the blade down. The plummeting hoe dug into the heart of the futon, causing the bag to roar an explosive hiss. Mirai drew the tool down south of the punctured futon, before prying it out of its body. Out from the insides of the futons protruded a large, scattered sea of fluffy cotton.

The audience broke free of their quietude, their booming voices screamed in rapture as the masked men situated near the gongs walked over to the impaled bag of cotton from both sides. They each grabbed two edges of the futon from its ears and feet before lifting it strenuously, carrying it away from the Furude Shrine.

As two other masked individuals, in replacement of the two men that were now gone, arrived at the mouth of the sacred grounds, Mirai grinned confidently to herself before she descended the ceremonial hoe upon the next futon.

[-x-]

It had been moments after the ceremony.

As soon as Mirai's performance drew to its close, the flock of denizens immediately exploded in incessant applause and praising clamors, deafening the restful silence before it even surfaced. They were jostling against themselves forcefully. Several of the onlookers even made attempts to reach out to Mirai, most likely coveting to give her either a proud pat to the back or to get a photograph of the young maiden.

But fortunately, Mirai was escorted safely away from the audience by the masked people who volunteered to take part in aiding her Shinto dance stealthily. Hitomu and the Gaming Club followed the youngest Furude over to the local river nearby.

From there, the gang located Mirai and the volunteer workers preparing cotton out of the gouged futons from a loaded wooden cart.

This was no surprise to them. It was traditional for every Watanagashi festival, the final, most crucial event after the penultimate ceremonial dance. After the Furude miko was done gouging the soft, fluffy insides out from the futons, all the collected cotton would be carried over to the river and broken apart into smaller pieces for people to take and send adrift down the stream, as an act of extracting and washing away their sins and anguish.

Under Mirai's simple request, her family and friends were chosen to be the first to each receive a small orb of cotton from the batch. And it wasn't long before the other locals, more poised and less ruffled in their excitement, made their timely arrival, forming a line to attain a tiny portion of the cotton.

Since the line was abounded greatly with crowding villagers, the process of handing out cotton was extremely time-consuming, meaning Mirai had to wait longer before she herself could partake in the concluding part of the festival. Luckily, the Gaming Club was more than willing to wait patiently for Mirai, not wanting to release their cotton without her. They all agreed to start the cotton drifting together with no one left behind.

Then finally, everyone collected their fair share, and Mirai was dismissed from her tedious duties, allowing her to return to her loved ones. No sooner was she bombarded with praise.

"Mirai-chan, your dance was amazing," Rena pounched on Mirai, tossing aside the stuffed penguin to Hitomu, who barely managed to rescue the colossal chubby animal with fumbling hands. She embraced the turquoise-haired teenage girl very tightly in her arms, her cheek pressed hard against Mirai's. "And very, very... ermm, what word should I use? ...uhh.. nhnn... oh, you-know-what; it was _kyuute!_ _Adorable~!_ Makes me want to - _Omochikaeri~!_" **[7]**

"Of- of course, R- Rena-san. I give you... full permission... to take me home as pleased... i- if you would just allow me to... to respire," a squished Mirai choked out laboriously, feeling her precious oxygen slowly being sucked away by the vacuums of Rena's euphoric hug. Her face began to blanch more intensely the longer she was squeezed to death.

Thankfully for Mirai, Rena seemed to understand her words. She swiftly released her suffocating captive and fixed a sheepish, apologetic look toward the wheezing Mirai as the rest of the Gaming Club members bellowed gleefully.

"As to be expected from the descendent of Rika," Satoko placed a hand on Mirai's shoulder, grinning proudly. "And a major amount of influence from the greatest Trap Master _slash_ civil engineer ever, which is _moi_, obviously," she glanced at Keiichi with a derisive look. "Oh, and I suppose Keiichi-san over there did pinch in _somewhat_, with leading young Mirai-san to succession just by being the father."

"Whatever makes you happy, Satoko," Keiichi rolled his eyes, though he, along with the others, chuckled lightly in amusement.

Mirai was beaming in pure estacy, feeling as if she was on cloud nine. Part of her did feel hesistant taking her mother's duties temporarily, though despite those insecurites, she persisted in executing the priestess ritual, and it paid off well in the end! Here she was, being commended by her loved ones for her admirable efforts. There really was such a thing as beginner's luck!

"Hey, Mirai-chan," a voice hollered.

The turquoise-haired female whipped her head to the side, her curious azure eyes greeted to the sight of its gleaming beryl-colored parallel. She found herself staring at Hitomu, whose smiling disposition was devoid of any provoking or sneering attributes. _'Strange. I was expecting him to put up his usual intolerable behavior and piss me off. But here, he appears genuinely happy.'_

Unsure how to properly respond, Mirai answered tentatively, "Oh, Hitomu. Did you... need something?"

"Yes, I most certainly do, my dear maid," Hitomu nodded in confirmation. "There's something very urgent I need you to do."

At first, Mirai looked at him confused. It wasn't until after her mind registered the way he had addressed her that realization dawned on her. She began to grimace. The youngest Furude had nearly forgotten her not-so-apropos (according to her) punishment from losing the Battle of Evils. Figures. His friendly demeanor seemed too good to be true. "Oh, I see. I was hoping you wouldn't remember that. Damn."

"As if I wouldn't be able to recall my glorious achievement over you," snorted Hitomu. He presented the stuffed penguin in his tender hold, bringing his prize on full display for the group to see. "I want you to take this lovable seabird for me."

Mirai produced a yielding sigh, begrudgingly accepting the giant animal. As the substitude priestess tidily wrapped the plush toy penguin under the warming, coiling blankets of her arms, she couldn't help but ask, "When do you expect this back?"

"I don't," answered the blond son of Shion and Satoshi.

"Huh?" Mirai blinked blankly, taken aback by the flat response from her undisputed master. She wasn't sure her ears had heard correctly.

Discerning the bewildered expression on his teal-haired friend's visage, Hitomu lightly chuckled to himself, placing his left fist over his left hip while pressing the joined fingers of his other hand against his right temple. He shook his head with an amused lopsided grin before he added, "Poor thing, you really didn't get it, did you? When I ordered you to take the penguin, I meant for you to keep it as your own."

Everyone fell silent, engrossed with the on-going moment between the young Furude and Houjou of the new generation. Mirai's jaw went slack, her ebullient eyes fluctuated in quivering spheres. She looked at Hitomu incredulously. "You're actually _giving_ this away to me?"

Hitomu laughed, "No need to sound so surprised, princess. I've planned this from the start, as a way to cheer you up. You did appear disgruntled earlier. And then at that moment when I saw you perform that dance for your mother, I just _knew_ you earned yourself the stuffed penguin," he sent a flirtatious wink at the teal-haired miko. "Consider it a reward for your commendable deeds today."

"Wow, Hitomu... I... really don't know... what to say," Mirai struggled to speak, still heavily shocked to properly respond.

"Say thank you, child," said Rika curtly.

"Rika, please," Hanyuu shushed her relative.

The terse inputs uttered from the two elder Furudes passed through deaf ears. Hitomu continued to eyeball the reserved Mirai before him gallantly. He balled his right hand before directing it down his open hip, now having his fists stuck to both sides.

Hitomu assured, "You don't need to say anything. Again, you've earned it. Now, I'd probably say something about taking great care of Mister Penguin over there, but then again, that shouldn't be necessary. If I know you as well as I think I do, you have quite the strong passion for penguins, no?"

Mirai pulled the collosal stuffed seabird close to her cleavage, letting her robust breasts massaged the stuffed toy animal's cheek comfortably in between its soft cushions. She glanced below, her gleeful eyes resting on the adorable set of chocolate orbs that stared back at her with innocence.

Then, the teenage girl looked back at Hitomu, her azure optics watering faintly as her sweet light-pink lips formed a sweet smile. "Yes, that is true. Penguins are the greatest animals to ever exist. I'm surprised you know my interests so well," she quickly shrugged off her surprise with a light shake of her head, retaining her happy, lighthearted expression. "Anyway, thanks... for this, Hitomu-kun. I'll cherish it greatly under your behest."

"Exactly what I needed to hear," Hitomu raised his right hand up for Mirai to see, and delivered a thumbs-up in reply. His shiny white-teeth grin broadened at the honorific Mirai addressed him by. The Furude youth never called him (or any other male for that matter) with "-kun" behind his name before. To be honored with that privilege was a blessing in itself for him.

A delighted Shion cooed over the endearing spectacle. She looked just about ready to burst out into fangirling squeals. Hitomu's vibrant jade-haired mother gushed, "_N'aww~!_ How pleasurable to witness the born roses of love flourish in blooming. Your tale sure brings me back to my romantic life. It seemed like it was just yesterday that Satoshi-kun gave me a plush kitty in our first date."

"M- Mom!" "Sonozaki-san!" Hitomu and Mirai, both shamefaced, cried out together in unison, their countenances heated in sweltering crimson.

"What? Romance is a beautiful, uncharted, natural course of life that lacks rhyme and reason. There's no need to be embarrassed or shy about it," reasoned Shion defensively. "Love is far from appalling; to the contrary, it's the unsung quintessence of heaven. And we all know everyone has to trek down that path sooner or later."

Satoshi stepped in, wrapping his pasty-skinned arms around Shion from behind. He leaned towards his wife's left wing as his lips murmured in her ear, "Dear, it's great of you to express your principles in romance, but let's not be so bold to put our son and Mirai-chan in a discomforting position, okay?"

"Not you too, Satoshi-kun!" Shion huffed an exasperated sigh. "I don't see wh-"

The Sonozaki romantic was cut off by a soft peck to her cheek. Before Shion could react, Satoshi pulled away and planted his hands on top of his significant other's shoulders, kneading them cordially. As he continued to pacify her, Satoshi added, "Don't fret, Shion-san. You're always welcome to voice your beliefs to me, at anytime you desire."

"Oh, honey," moaned Shion delightfully. She acted a relaxed intake of breath and laid her back against her beloved's front, permitting him to tenderly massage her more. Her lips curved upward, revealing a mellow, serene smile that came with a pair of half-open emerald eyes. "I suppose I can compensate by teaching you all I know about love... at home..."

Mion felt abashed at Shion's behavior. The older Sonozaki twin averted her unsettled gaze off to the side, looking at anything but her sister. "And there Nurse Shion goes again with her sex innuendos. Damn it, sis, _please_ try and be appropriate. I swear, you are the sole reason why I'm a spinster to begin with."

_"Nyeh!"_ Shion playfully stuck her tongue out at Mion, her one green-gemed eye uncurtained wide-open while the other sewed shut in a winking manner.

The Gaming Club rejoiced in collective laughter, filling the air around them with bouncing elation.

"Alright, alright everyone, let's all calm down now," Mion spoke aloud but politely, quelling the exuberant chuckling howls that had already started to died down gradually. Once the resonates of amusement ceased, she continued, "As fun as it is for me and all of you to make light of my single status, there's still one thing left to do in our agenda."

Mion whipped out the cotton ball confined in her fingers for all her friends to see. "Now that everyone is present, I say it's about time to conclude our first-ever Reiwa period Watanagashi festival. All of you bring out your cotton balls. We're sending these babies adrift."

"Right," Mirai inclined her head in agreement, hoisting her plush toy onto her shoulder as she too revealed her own piece of cotton with her other free hand.

Everyone else complied silently under grinning obedience, also producing small cotton sphere out from their pocket inventory.

The group of kinsfolk and friends huddled together close by the river, observing its vast blue sea extend to the farther regions of the village as it churned. Bouncing, glistening lights from the radiance of the moon flickered around the river. Alongside those reflective glints were a legion of cotton balls, swimming about in a blissful, mindless motion.

As the leader of the Gaming Club, Mion uttered an authoritative command, ordering her subordinates to set down their portion of cotton in the river. The senior club members, Hitomu and Mirai didn't need to be told twice.

They all stationed their respective cotton fragments in the water, aligning them all together accordingly. The passive torrent bathed the hueless light material, leaving half the cotton orbs drenched to the hilt.

Mion then instructed everyone to let loose the assembled cotton that impatiently waited to be free alongside its brethren. Much to the elder Sonozaki's satisfaction, her group obliged. They, along with Mion, detached the cotton from their fingers.

Time sauntered peacefully through the starry night as the alined formation of the club's ten cotton spherules began to follow the stream in its flowing direction. No later than three seconds did the convened cotton soon dispersed in different directions. Left off in separate ways, the inert pieces of sin-consuming siblings partnered with their other scattered relatives.

The amassed cotton, unbeknownst to the naked eyes of all, began to suck in the lingering, swirling miasma of every immoral deed commited by every villagers present. As the invisible dark auras were assimilated into the condensed form of unpolluted cotton, Hinamizawa's rural atmosphere began to lighten, resurging the weightless fresh air and bright mood that befitted the village's reputation as a peaceful, evil-absent, picturesque setting. No longer was it burdened by immorality or darkness.

Every fragment of cotton, disbanded into different sections of the broad river, coursed under the sturdy timber bridge that linked together the immobile pack of trees and the Furude Shrine's hallowed grounds. Shrouded in shadow cast by the bottom of the bridge, the cotton balls dimmed in a black color as dark as ravens. Eerie malice snarled silently from its spherical prison, its protests left soundless from the water's washing stroll.

Then, the cotton spherules emerged out from the bridge's shadow, concealing the imprisoned sins as they reassumed their uncolored forms. The breezing, sibilant river sluiced towards the opposite direction of the Hinamizawa and Okinomiya residents. The Gaming Club stood by the stone seaside of the stream, scrutinizing the enthralling spectacle.

Numerous tiny balls of cotton were slowly drawn away by the water's shining blue mass, shrinking in size as they faded off into the vast distance.

"Hitomu-_kun_," speaking up unexpectedly, Mirai jabbed the "-kun" honorific as she glanced to the blond youth in question. Next to her, an observant Rena redirected her attention over to the two adolescents of the group, piqued with interest.

"Yo," Hitomu mirrored the swivel head gesture with a curious gaze. "You call me for something?"

Mirai swiftly slid over to Hitomu's side, though not before tossing aside her penguin plushie nonchalantly to Rena, whose quick instincts helped save the airborne toy animal.

With no words uttered from her rosy lips, the turquoise-haired miko pressed her right shoulder against the male blond's left wing as she veered her face toward his, at the same time making a light fold of her arms. An unreadable expression masked over her dazzling visage. "Tell me, do you recall when you said you wanted to take me past heaven's horizons and treat me to a breath-taking experience?"

Embarrassment made itself apparent on Hitomu's reddening face. Oh yes, he definitely remembered. It wasn't his best moment.

"You mean _that?_ U-Uh- eh- o-o-oh, I-I, uh," he spluttered, slurred, and slipped in his ephemeral speech, before clearing his throat to compose himself. The blond teenager, his cheeks still flaring beet-red, looked at Mirai with a light smile. "Well, yeah, of course. Not my proudest line. Probably should have brainstormed something better."

Mirai disregarded Hitomu's self-conscious state. "Would you still like to guide me there?" noticing the boy's bemused quirk of an eyebrow, she elaborated, "Do you still bare intentions to ascend past the skies' limits alongside me?"

Hitomu seemed dumbfounded. He scratched his forehead, his jaded eyes examining the daughter of Rika and Keiichi to pinpoint any signs of pretenses. Much to his surprise, there was none. Though hesistant over Mirai's behavior, he decided to play along, grin a sheepish grin and replied, "If I say no, then I'd be a liar. And that would go against my principles of honesty."

"Hmmm... I see. Okay then. If that's the case," Mirai pivoted on her heel, turning to face Hitomu's front. Her hands roosted onto his shoulders. As she gave both shoulders a tender squeeze, the young shrine maiden reached up to the blond's left ear, using her toes to lift herself up to match his tall height. With a playful grin, she whispered huskily, "_...I want you to guide me there, right past the stars of the heavens._"

"_Eh?!_ Mirai-chan, I-" Hitomu stared incredulously at Mirai as if she had a second head.

"Shush," Mirai swiftly silenced the flabbergasted boy with a light push of her finger to his lips. The playful smirk pasted on her face began to construct into a more embellished aspect as her azure eyes narrowed in a seductive manner. The Furude youth pulled herself back. She then leaned in close to Hitomu's face, the tips of their noses cuddled together.

With half-lid orbs piercing through its shy, shimmering, beryl-colored equivalent, Mirai gazed in yearn at Hitomu before she softly purred, "I was wrong to judge you so hastily, Hitomu-kun. Based from your generous act in giving me the stuffed penguin, I now realize there's more to you that meets the eye, and because of that, I'm willing to give you a chance, as a way to repay you for your munificence."

"Really?" inquired Hitomu heartily.

"For sure," a stern look eclipsed Mirai's enticing visage as she harshly added, "Don't you go screwing it up. And I better not catch you ogling any other women either. Your eyes should be on me, always. Otherwise, I'll pluck them out and make you fear the name Mirai Furude. Do I make myself clear?"

Hitomu's astonished expression dissipated, and in its place formed a grin of a Cheshire cat. He angled his chin to point at his chest, pushing his forehead against Mirai's. His bare brow snuggled against the hime-cut, teal-tinted black locks that invaded the miko's forehead. "Crystal clear. I much prefer the epitome of ethereal beauty and strength of character over any other girl any day."

"Pleased to see you have no qualms with this," Mirai rolled her eyes. "Though don't get cocky. I'm not someone to be controlled, nor appeased so easily."

Mirai lowered her height, planting her soles onto the stone ground. The turquoise-haired shrine maiden slid her arms around Hitomu's waist, wrapping them in cordial embrace. She nuzzled her right cheek against the blond's chest, burying it under his large center region. She closed her eyes in bliss, displayed a beatific smile, and cooed, "I'm a delicate girl with high expectations, you know. I hope you can reach them."

"Don't fret. I'm sure I'll manage," reassured Hitomu. "I didn't go around chasing you without being prepared, after all, ha ha!"

"Heh heh... valid point there, Hitomu-kun," the smile on Mirai's face broadened. She hugged him tighter. "Then I'll play my part and make this work too."

Humming dreamily to himself, Hitomu enveloped the dainty belle using his own set of tender arms. He pulled Mirai closer to his chest, cuddling her in a comfortable squeeze. The sole progeny of Satoshi Houjou and Shion Sonozaki felt the white thin fabric of Mirai's kimono jacket sooth his idle fingers.

Having observed the heartwarming scene between Mirai and Hitomu from the side, Rena quivered uncontrollably as she held onto the stuffed penguin in her hands cordially, the symptoms of her take-it-home mode gradually weakening her willpower.

The Gaming Club, who had all been intrigued midway through the conversation at some point, said no words. Most of them didn't feel like cutting in on the sweet moment. Though Shion looked ready to enthuse over her son and Mirai, Satoshi quickly used his hand to clamp her mouth, just in time to hear her emit a muffled yelp. He then continued to watch quietly as his hand-gagged wife shot a mildly annoyed look at him.

A passing of a minute later, unexplained realization suddenly dawned on Rika. As a look of surprise briefly flashed across the bluenette's visage, she broke free from her taciturn state and abruptly said, "Child."

"Oh, uh," Mirai withdrew herself away from Hitomu's chest to face her mother. "Yeah, mom? You rang?"

"How... exactly did you perform the ritual dance so inexplicably well? Your abilities were astounding, to say the least," inquired Rika, her tone of voice painted with marginal suspicion, glazed with traces of awe.

In spite of the strict questioning though, the Furude monarch held a sense of bonafide veneration for her daughter. Reflecting upon the sixteen years that included Mirai in her life, Rika could only visualize the spoiled, frivolous daddy's girl whose strongest attachment was with a rectangular gadget as small as her own hand.

Of course, that all changed when the turquoise-haired teen was willing to partake in the priestess duties for the ceremony. And as her substitute too! As if that wasn't enough, Mirai shockingly bedazzled all the onlookers through her dexterous, elegant, and rough-but-nimble coordination. She had even followed the correct procedures for the ritual.

Rika couldn't have been more proud of the young girl Keiichi and her considered as their daughter. The indigo-haired mother found it hard to fathom the miracles that spurted out of that impromptu event, though she wasn't upset. If anything, she was grateful to the heavens for bestowing such an arcane phenomenon.

It seemed that Mirai was finally growing to be more competent in her disposition, and maybe- just _maybe_, she was actually starting to pick up a few of her teachings. Perhaps there could be some hope for her descendant after all!

"Ha-ha, it's unlike you to be so wonderstruck, mother," giggled the youngest Furude girl. She began to advance toward her mother and said, "As for your question, that should be easy to answer."

The miko with strands of teal-and-black hair trod nonchalantly, gradually severing the distance that roped between her and the bluenette she was facing. Cocking an eyebrow, Rika fixed a perplexed countenance while watching her daughter approach hither.

Once reaching over to her personal space, Mirai halted in her steps. She upraised her eyelids and broadened her lips briefly before throwing her eyes below, using her pupils to scan the patch on Rika's midnight summer dress that bulged a lengthy, round rectangle.

Without her mother's consent, Mirai bent down and dug her hand inside the dress pocket. By the time Rika was ready to express her protests, the turquoise-and-ebony-haired Furude had already retracted her hand out, along with the coveted object that was clutched in her fingers.

"Hope you don't mind me swiping this off your possession. I just need my iPhone back to shed some light in your puzzlement, and to provide you some visual explanation," Mirai fiddled around with her phone. _Ticks_ and _clicks_ exuded out from the flashing mobile device. Eventually, her fingers stopped touching the screen and drew away to its sides, gripping onto them tightly. "And here ya go, the answer you've been waiting for."

Rika and the rest of the elder members crowded together and peered at the small screen sheltering in the full body of their vision.

Out from the flat panel displayed a video of Rika, alone in a sterile, well-lit room, practicing the Kagura dance using the ornamented hoe. Since Mirai had the volume in mute, no sound emanated out of the phone. In the video, Rika had moved, gyrated, and swayed rhythmically with a soothing - almost lulling - pace. The Furude head appeared unaware of the recording camera that violated her privacy.

"This was recorded about a couple months back, back when you were really paranoid and getting on my case about my future duties as your shrine maiden," explained Mirai as the others, minus her and Hitomu, continued to watch. "I wasn't getting the steps quite right, and it was harder to get into it with you piling so much pressure on me, so I figured it would've been smart to record what you do in the shadows and just learn from rewatching the footage."

"Wha... what?!" Rika felt her hopes shatter. The reality of her daughter's astonishing feat settled in hard for the Furude head.

Mirai pouted. "What do you mean, "_what"_? Personally, I thought this was the second smartest decision I made in a while. My number one was knitting a doll version of myself as a gift for Rena-san so she'd be less prone to take me home and fixate more on the doll," she shrugged with an indifferent look. "It doesn't really derail her from me completely, but eh."

Rena closed her eyes and smiled to herself, picturing the Mirai dolly she got as a present for her birthday last year. _'Hauu... best birthday present ever.'_

"Bu- but then how could you have known the procedures for the ceremony?!" Rika questioned sharply. "I didn't tell you anything about that."

"Oh, funny story, heh heh," her daughter scratched the back of her head. "See I didn't know," Mirai grinned when Rika's face paled. "If I had to be brutally honest with what I did today, I was only trying to wing it and stick to whatever I knew. It was the escort lady from earlier who gave me some good, last-minute advice on the ritual performance along the way. Yup, you could say I lucked out, ha ha!"

Rika's countenance heated from a ghost-white to a fire-red as it contorted into an emotion of ire. The mother of Mirai bitterly fumed, "Damn it, child. You and that deplorable phone I detest so much. To think I believed you were more dutiful and respectful of the old traditions this time around." **[8]**

Mirai jumped in defense, "Hey, I revere Hinamizawa and its time-honored history. In fact, I visit aunt Hanyuu daily so she can help me indulge more in the subject. Why'd you think I go to her house so often?"

Hanyuu sheepishly scratched her cheek as she blushed in modesty.

The niece of Hanyuu switched off her iPhone, hid it behind her back, and sighed, "Mom, I have to be frank, you're a beautiful dancer and an admirably strong, independent woman to have as a parent, but being a teacher, especially one whose patient and more forgiving in mistakes, isn't your strong suit. Now that department goes to auntie Hanyuu. Sorry-not-sorry."

She smirked, "Well anyway, I saved the day and I've answered your question. That should suffice to earn my phone back, yes?" Mirai placed her hands over her hips, keeping her phone bandaged in a tight finger grip. To prevent Rika from objecting, she promptly added, "Yep, sounds good, thanks. I'll be going off with Hitomu now. _Peace!_"

Rika felt her left eye twitch uncontrollably as she watched her teenage daughter slither away to a greatly amused Hitomu. The sneaky little weasel brought the blond boy in a fond embrace and leaned close to his ear, indistinct mutters transmitted from her lips to his organ of hearing.

Both adolescents wore smug grins as they then glanced at Rika, quietly giggling to themselves childishly. This served to piss off the Furude monarch even more. Those little brats! No doubt they were making gibes of her from afar, not even having the slightest audacity to ridicule her right in her face. Talk about shameless.

"Mirai's definitely our daughter," piped Keiichi, sneaking up to Rika from behind. He coiled his arms around his wife's waist tenderly and pulled her close to his chest. "A delinquent who isn't afraid to speak her mind in a vitriolic manner. She sure does take after the two of us."

The incandescent bluenette huffed and tucked her hands under her shoulders in a cute pouty demeanor. "That unruly rascal hasn't changed at all. She's still as frivolous as ever. I blame her immaturity on you, Keii. Her unnatural defiance towards parental authority completely stems from you. If only she'd take more after me in personality, then she wouldn't be as much a pain in the ass."

"Yah-a-ha! Trust me, Rika-chan, you're also a major factor to her blunt behavior," her chocolate-haired husband laughed heartily in reply. He tightened his embrace, pleasuring Rika with a loving squeeze. "Our influence on Mirai wasn't that bad though. She's attained some of our greater aspects too. Substituting for you today proves that notion."

Rika nestled in Keiichi's cordial hold to get comfortable. "I can't deny you there. Mirai did exhibit your outgoing persona and, dare I say, my ingenuity in talent," she let out a muffled moan of peace. "I wish she was more descent from me than you. That way, she'd be perfect and befitting of a sedulous Furude miko, like me."

"A diamond is still a diamond, in spite of its myriad rough edges," Keiichi riposted. He squatted down, his knees slightly bent to emulate Rika's shorter height. The Maebara patriarch poked his head near his wife's right cheek, pecking the pasty-skinned flesh of it using his lips. "Be patient. Mirai is far from reaching maturity. Give her time to bask in her youth for now, and I guarantee it'll be worth the wait when she blossoms."

He disentangled his arms from Rika, directing his hands over to perch on her shoulders. His fingers repeatedly curled, kneading Rika's shoulders steadily. "Our child has Maebara and Furude blood coursing through her veins- fueled by the aspirations to succeed and defy predetermined obstacles that dare stand against her. Not to mention both families of ours relish in the luxuries of life. Retaining those qualities, Mirai will surely throw our expectations out of the water hereafter as your future shrine maiden."

The indigo-haired woman wiggled her shoulders, greatly affected by the strong, soothing sensations that induced titilating delight. Curving a content grin with the corners of her lips, she lounged back and crooned instinctively, "Let's not jump the gun about her taking over my position just yet. That notion remains to be seen. Though then again, I felt somewhat inclined to give Mirai a chance. That risky stunt she pulled today was quite the feat."

Rika then moaned heartily, "Oh, god, your hands. They're magic, I swear. Here I thought uttering words from that mouth of yours was your most notable talent."

Keiichi chuckled, "Actions have their own way of speaking words too," he gently laid his chin over Rika's head, his neck brushed graciously against her scalp. His nose was smooched continually by the peppermint aroma pacing around the sapphire tufts of her hair. "Nice choice of shampoo. It'll be something to remember when I punish you later tonight. My little _kitty maid~_."

"I figured you'd like the scent, hee-hee-hee," giggled Rika. Her violet eyes shined a sultry glint as she huskily added, "And I look forward to what you have prepared. Just don't disappoint me, sir," the wife of Keiichi scooped the air with her scratching cupped hands and purred playfully, "_Meeow~!_"

Her husband smirked affirmingly, "I won't."

"Ooh, I nearly forgot!" Rena cut in suddenly.

The auburn-haired fashion designer tossed a sharp glance at Mion and the other club members and pointed out, "Everyone excluding Keiichi-kun, myself, and the young ones have lost _twice_, both in the water-gun death match and the Battle of Evils," she grinned evilly, "Since Keiichi-kun and Hitomu-kun are dealing with Rika-chan and Mirai-chan personally, I shall take charge and dish out penalty games for the rest of you."

"What?!" paled Satoko.

"Shit!" Mion visibly panicked, her teal eyes screamed in fear as trickles of sweat trailed down from her temples profusely. "Not today," she looked at Shion, rushed over to her and Satoshi, and shoved her sister in Rena's direction before spinning on her heel and barreling over to the opposite direction. "Goodbye! Sorry for the sacrifice, sis!"

A speechless Satoshi stared at the bailing Mion, unsure how to feel about his sister-in-law using his wife as a distraction.

_"Woah-ho-hoah!"_ Shion stumbled and waved her hands frantically to prevent herself from falling. Thankfully, she caught her footing, though that did nothing to placate her newfound anger towards Mion. The light-blue-ribbon-clad twin pursued her older sister in rage, donning a murderous look over her face. "Onee, no, you get your ass back here right now, you coward!"

"Shion-san, wait for me," cried Satoko, following her older sister figure from behind. Her frightened fuchsia eyes made it clear she had no desires to suffer the receiving end of Rena's judgement either.

"No no no! Who permitted any of you to escape?" Rena chased after the three fleeing women, her feet hurtled about in speed that rivaled a predacious cheetah. "I made plenty of animal cosplay back home during my spare time, and some of them have your names on it!"

And the four women disappeared into the distance.

Both Satoshi and Hanyuu were left behind with the two Furude couples, pardoned from their punishments. They wordlessly eyed their friends, who have all parted the seaside without so much expressing their farewells. The two exchanged dumbstuck glances.

"That's... that, then, huh?" Satoshi plastered a faint smile on his face.

Hanyuu giggled, returning a similar expression. "I assume it is."

The adult blond diverted his attention to the other four members of their group, watching them cuddle together in pairs. They remained oblivious to his and Hanyuu's presence. "This year has turned out wonderfully. Everyone here is so happy."

"Yes, Even Rika, notwithstanding her usual pessimism and fixation on the halcyon days of the Showa era, is quite content with how things turned out today," agreed Hanyuu, nodding affirmingly as she followed Satoshi's fuchsia-colored gaze. "If this keeps up, Rika might loosen that attitudinal disgruntlement towards the future someday."

"It makes you wonder what would happen next Watanagashi," Satoshi commented.

"_Mm-hmm,_" Hanyuu inclined her head once more. Her orchid eyes browsed around the area in a scanning motion, carefully examining the carpet comprised of copious gravel which paved the coast nearby the river. From afar, the tall, vicinal trees adorned with dull viridian leaves and ancient brownish bark stood together in groups, condescendingly staring down at the surroundings and people it towered over.

Hanyuu lifted her gaze up to the cold black skies. Fixed snowy stars glimmered radiantly, dousing embellishing touches of light extensively across the celestial onyx sea that was outer space. A brisk gentle breath of wind wafted soothingly through the lilac-haired Furude, lightly stroking and applying a layer of coolness upon her pastel white skin.

The venerable kinswoman of Rika and Mirai did an intake, her nose drew in and tasted the refreshing air that teased her insides wholly with its raw, crisp low temperature. She then respired serenely. Hanyuu closed her eyes, a peaceful smile emerged on her stunning visage as she answered, "We can only be patient for what thrills await us next year in this new Reiwa era."

She finished with a relaxed croon, "...may Hinamizawa and its future enchant us."

[-x-]

**A/N II:** **And here I am finally finished. Holy crap, wasn't this special lengthy. I'm not complaining though; I love what I wrote here. It was great to brainstorm ideas for what the Gaming Club would be like grown-up, and then flesh it out. **

**I personally loved how Mion, Shion, and Hanyuu turned out. Mion as a counseler and Hanyuu growing up to be a teacher seems very fitting for them, with their characters and all. As for Shion being a nurse and helpless romantic, that was purely just for my amusement, though somehow I can see that happening too (when you disregard the Hinamizawa Syndrome anyway).**

**It's nice to write slice-of-life stories for the Higurashi characters that suffer from constant death. They all desperately need it. Well anyway, I think I've written enough KeiRika for now, so I'll focus more on other stuff. I have a cute idea in mind for Keiichi and Mion, so you'll most likely see KeiMion next. There will also be future works that have no pairings.**

**Oh, one other thing, I'm going to have to compose shorter stories from here on out. I can't afford to write out 20,000+ one-shots constantly. That's more than enough to kill me.**

**Alright, that's it for now. As usual, notes are marked with [X] and can be looked over below.**

**Happy 2019 Watanagashi (Reiwa 1)! See you next time!**

[-x-]

**Notes:**

**[1] **The "Eh" segment between Rika and Hanyuu is based off of a scene (Season 3, Episode 1; _It's a Black President, Huey Freeman_) in _The Boondocks _series, an American adult sitcom that utilizes Japanese animation. Just a little something to humor myself with.

**[2] **Mirai is Japanese for "future". I thought it would have been fitting to give Rika's child that name, considering Rika and Keiichi's story centered around the eternal summer.

**[3] **Nii-Nii is an endearment term that means "older brother" in Japanese. Satoko uses this for Satoshi very often. Really, only younger children bother using this term, though I'm not really sure whether or not Satoko would change her addressment.

**[4] **Yeah, I know; pretty crappy way to introduce Satoshi into the story. But in my defense, I didn't want to just throw him in without explaining how he came out of his coma. That would have been lazy. I do love the nice touch of Satoshi taking Irie's position as coach of the Hinamizawa Fighters baseball team though, so it isn't too bad.

**[5] **Hitomu is a Japanese name for "single dream". This was a tough one to come up with, though fortunately, I managed to come up with a name I thought suited well for the child of Shion and Satoshi.

**[6]** _"Aibou" _roughly translates to "partner" in Japanese. The idea was based off the _Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters_ series where Yami/Atem often addressed Yugi by that term (only that their bond isn't actually romantic like Keiichi and Rika's); considering Rika's status as an item with Keiichi, I see this as a fitting term for her to use on Keiichi. Speaking of him, Keiichi calling Rika _"Babe"_ is also pretty good too. The informal address seems rather fitting to his character as well.

**[7]** Japanese phrase that's roughly translated to "I'm going to take you home" in English. This is Rena's catchphrase for when she sees something that stands out to her as cute.

**[8]** Little reference to one of the _Pokemon_ games. Thought it would have been fun to add in.


	3. Old Man

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**Author's Note:** **Hi, everyone. Back here with another piece for this compilation of one-shots, and as promised, this chapter is centered between Keiichi and Mion.**

**I'm not that big a fan of Mion to be honest, though she's alright for me to tolerate writing. I'm not the type to be **_**too**_** incredibly biased by making certain characters seem like bad people, anyway. Plus, Mion **_**does**_** have some redeeming qualities - ones that I tend to use more to overlook the traits I don't favor.**

**It's shorter than the other two stories I've previously written, but that's a good thing. I intend on writing stories that reach up to 5,000-10,000 words (maybe lower) from now on. It'd be easier and faster to get stuff posted that way.**

**Hmmm... what else? Oh, there's one thing about this site that's been bothering me. Why, on God's great green earth, are **_Higurashi_** and **_Umineko_** merged together? I mean, I get the two series were made by the same person and there are certain connections that link the two together, but you'd have to squint really hard to notice the little similarities (even then, it isn't enough to place them both together). That, and both **_Higurashi_** and **_Umineko_** seem way too different to really be compatible with one another. None of the main characters from their respective series even meet...**

**For the story itself, it's a cute one, mostly just about Keiichi being confused over a certain character trait from Mion, making bold but endearing advances through curious questions, and Mion getting all flustered in embarrassment. This story isn't really set in a particular kakera, so it'll work for any of the worlds but **_Matsuribayashi-hen_** since Hanyuu is absent here. It also won't be set in **_Minagoroshi-hen,__Watanagashi-hen_** or **_Meakashi-hen_** for... well, reasons you'll need to read the chapter to understand.**

**I can't really say for certain, but I think some of you KeiMion shippers would like it. Well, anyway, feel free to leave reviews and feedback on what you think (**_**no flames**_**), and enjoy!**

**.**

**STORY ORGINALLY POSTED ON JULY 2, 2019**

[-x-]

_Summary: Keiichi was always left perplexed by Mion's "Old Man" persona. And one day, finally fed up from having to hide in his shell of befuddlement, he starts to inquire his best friend's antics. _

_Pairing(s): KeiMii (F/M)_

_Rated: K+_

[-x-]

**2\. Old Man**

**...**

Keiichi Maebara felt the inner regions of his intellect spiral in a contorting daze. It had been a sporadic occurrence since he transferred over from Tokyo's busy streets and polluted air to Hinamizawa's quiet countryside and fresh, savory oxygen. There wasn't a day where his mind hadn't succumbed under the craving urges to meander at least once.

His musings all centered towards one person: a woman who surpassed him by a measly year in age, the leader of a group competitive in board games and outdoor activities.

He recalled his initial encounter with her, set at a school so small it was comprised of fifteen students (and that didn't count the single teacher and principal there).

It was around the time where he made his first appearance in the classroom as a new transfer student. He politely greeted the band of students he'd come to know later as his peers, silently noting the peculiar detail how most of the students were no older than eleven at best, and that there were so few of them that were around his age.

Everyone welcomed him in kind dispositions, and the teacher was quick to put an end to his introduction before starting the usual class session. Once lunch break arrived, Keiichi was immediately bombarded by the mass of students who flocked all over his desk. Inquiries were thrown at him from every direction, badgering him to reveal more about himself, to which Keiichi would so kindly reply through trival facts based on his favorite foods, color, hobbies, sport interests, etcetera.

And that was when four girls, the group who Keiichi would be most acquainted with in the future, approached him.

Two of them - a blond and bluenette who were in the tender ages of eleven and ten respectively - flashed friendly smiles at the brown-haired boy.

The child with deep-sea blue hair, dubbed Rika Furude, was innocent and rapturous in her visage. She was a VIP of sorts in Hinamizawa, loved by many within the entire village. Keiichi could see why; Rika was an extremely graced, cheerful person who possessed the ability to lace a bonafide smile of joy upon any passing denizen's face, himself included.

As for the other with aureate hair, who revealed herself by the name Satoko Houjou, while she appeared just as cheery, Keiichi couldn't help notice the glint of mischief shimmering in her eyes, and the distinctive, tiny vampire-like fang that poked out from her mouth. It was clear Satoko was the more troublesome and elfin between the two.

The third girl was a teenager, with short auburn hair resembling a dragon's glorious breath of scorching inferno in color, and a pair of blinking blue eyes that contrasted her fiery-shaded hair with an aquatic sea of rings circling around her pupils. She had happily introduced herself as Rena Ryuuguu, once again welcoming Keiichi to Hinamizawa, but in a more personal, face-to-face manner.

Then lastly, there was the final member who was associated with the bunch. Both an upperclassmen and head of the student body class, she had lengthy resplendent hair as green as the vibrant grass of the village's serene setting thrown back in a graceful, eye-catching ponytail that reached down to her waist. Her radiant eyes glowed a lovely greenish-cyan, leaving Keiichi mesmerized in its richly-pigmented rondures.

The green-haired teenager had her hands hidden behind her head, forcing her arms to spread out and reside near her ears, folded in such a way that made it appear wing-like. She sniggered light-heartedly, her voice ever so charming and perky. She grinned a lopsided grin- one that spoke an appealingly impish nature. This person was offworldly! She was like an angel who fully embraced the prankish tendencies she thought she never had; a true beauty with mischievous personality. And already, Keiichi could feel himself liking this girl.

As Keiichi swooned inwardly at the mysterious ponytailed girl before him, his fixated eyes watched the teenager's mouth move, and his ears perked in fascination, preparing to indulge into her spellbinding, melodious vocals. The source of his interests spoke gleefully,

_"...Ku ku ku ku ku! Salutations to you, newbie. I go by the name, Mion Sonozaki," Mion pulled her arms away from her head, dropping them down to her sides. She pointed her thumb at herself proudly, stretching out her frolicsome grin. "Though around these parts, you must address me as Uncle Mion."_

_"Wha...?" blinking blankly, Keiichi was thrown for a loop. He was enthralled in his fascinations over the class representative's outer phenomenal attributes, very much so that the last part of her statement snapped him back to reality. "Sorry, what?"_

_"Nyaha ha ha ha! It seems you are one to be absentminded, huh, boy?" the green-haired girl joked. "What was your name again? My apologies, but at my fragile age, I tend to forget quite easily. Hmmm..." _

_Mion lightly poked her chin with one finger, pretending to be in thought. Her eyes widened briefly before narrowing, baring her shiny white pearls from her smirking lips. "Oh, that's right, I can remember now. Kei- i- chi- Ma- e- ba- raaa~" she tasted the syllables in hunger-like yearning before throwing in an amused chuckle. "Oh, Keiichi Maebara, aren't you the noble, entertaining one? Heh-heh!" __**[1]**_

_Keiichi said nothing. He could only stare at Mion with a discombobulated expression._

_"Well, Kei-chan - hope you don't mind if I call you that by the way - I will only say this once," Mion crossed her arms and leaned back slightly. "I am an old man, one of the oldest around in this small place I call home. And as a senior, it's my responsibility to look out for the little hatchlings here. So as such, Kei-chan, you better treat me respectfully since I'm your superior."_

_The baffled boy was ready to voice his protests, though Mion was quick to cut him off, "I'm not done yet. Yes, while I am as old as an ancient relic, I most certainly do not wish to retire just yet. Uncle Mion still has enough zest to last her a couple more years. Of course, this old man needs some more spunk and fun in her life, and I think you're the right person to help provide me with that fuel."_

_A lofty simper laughed its way out of Mion's lips. "What do you say, newbie?" she stepped closer to Keiichi. "Are you up for the job? I warn you, I'm not someone you can handle or trifle with so easily."_

_"Ermm... I- uh- err- I-I-mean-" Keiichi stumbled in his words as Mion leaned in to show off her playful, blinking green eyes. He looked unsure. "...I don't know..."_

_"Ah, good, so glad you said yes," Mion pretended as if he had accepted. She pulled away from Keiichi's face, dismissing his hesistancy entirely. "You've made the right decision. Uncle Mion's the life of the party. And if you have any discomfort associating yourself with this old man, don't. I know what it's like to be juvenile, even in my ripe old age."_

_The other three girls present with Mion simply smiled at their green-haired leader. Keiichi still appeared baffled._

_Mion flicked her left thumb up and winked at the boy with short, bundled chocolate hair. With a light tilt of her head to her left and a thickened right curve of her lopsided grin, she remarked delightfully, "I have a feeling we both will get along well, Kei-chan. Better talk with this old man often, boy, 'cause you'll be seeing a lot of Uncle Mion from here out. Nyaha ha ha ha!"_

It was like encountering a sheet of water out in the arid desert and diving head-first into its refreshing watery body, only to find oneself eating the cruel, insipid grounds of sand littering all over the barren land, having been deceived by the mirage's eye-fooling illusions. Mion was... not how Keiichi had imagined her.

For one thing, Mion always refered herself as either "Uncle Mion" or "old man"; nothing else. And she didn't even use the correct pronouns for her elderly male persona. From every morning, from every school day, and from every evening, whenever he and Mion crossed paths, Keiichi was often met with a woman who commited herself to enacting the role of an old geezer.

Keiichi thought it was meant to be a whimsical joke of some kind at first. He played along with Mion's antics, giving her a mock-salute and an inapt greeting meant to address the so-called "Uncle Mion".

But later on, he realized how serious Mion was in her old man character. Address her by anything else, and she would scowl and seeth (maybe even bare a grudge and hold ephemeral enmity on the unlucky chance she'd be in a bad mood). Once, he decided to joke around and call her "grandpa" instead. That earned him a _very_ intimidating glare accompanied by loud, offended protests Mion threw at him, and a stern chastising from Rena to boot, courtesy of a painful slap upside the head.

And then there were the times when Mion took a complete one-eighty in her coveted facade.

Keiichi wasn't sure if any of his other female companions were aware or not, but presumably, Mion was very much fascinated over dolls - particularly the more _girly_ kind. Just last Sunday in the postmeridian hours, when he went out groccery shopping with his mom in Okinomiya, Keiichi stumbled upon the baffling sight of the green-haired girl gawking in awe at a princess doll held in the toy store's glass display, and, _holy shit,_ was it the most _unmanly_ thing he had ever seen.

He recollected the doll's appearance - a small female figure with a surreal vanilla complexion, cascading ginger-blonde curly hair, and celestial blue eyes, its false gleams of the stars enhanced its midnight-toned irises. A white veil hung over the doll's head as its whole body was embellished with a long, rich pink dress that came with a blood-red bow and a row of decorative roses and white ribbons circling around the bottom part of the gown. **[2]**

The prissy, effeminate appearance of that doll alone was enough to drive Keiichi - or any other men for that matter - away. Though strangely, Mion, the tomboyish girl who acted like a man, was the opposite. She was drawn to the toy like a magnet. From Keiichi's perspective, it looked as though Mion was ready to pull a Rena and take the doll home. Had it not been for the glass barrier in her way, she probably _would've_ commited the act.

Keiichi couldn't understand. Mion wanted to be seen as a guy, yet she was heavily fond of girlish dolls? What a contradiction! Such a concept seemed almost inconceivable to him.

Women... such breathing enigmas, Keiichi believed. He couldn't comprehend them at all, not especially the epitome of riddles that was Mion Sonozaki. The class president was an evident far cry from the usual feminine girls he met throughout his whole life.

Mion was quite bold and unafraid to speak what thoughts formed in her head, whether it'd be lewd or improper. Keiichi figured that out when she had teasingly asked him how long his dick had grown since the last time she saw him, which was around that time when he went on a three-day trip to Tokyo a couple weeks back.

Mion was a firm extrovert, constantly socializing with him, their other friends, and everyone else in Hinamizawa. Her mouth never zipping shut for even a minute, she always had the most teasing, friendly, or most jaunty things to say.

Mion was also a dependable and conscientious person. True to her notable tic as "Uncle Mion", the oldest man of Hinamizawa who sought to help others, she looked out for both the elderly and youthful inhabitants of Hinamizawa and Okinomiya. On her free days, Mion was often seen volunteering to help out the seniors in farming, and during school, she assisted the children in any problems of depression they had. Many people appreciated her well-versed social skills and admirable, paternal aegis.

In short, the teenage, grass-green-ponytailed girl was a cheery, playful, and reliable companion of Keiichi who was nuanced in her character.

Though as appealing as her attributes were, Keiichi couldn't help but feel bothered. There was an irritably itch in the back of his head bugging him about Mion, that she was more than what met his naked eye. And maybe the hunch was right; there _had_ to be more about old man Mion than what she was known for. The clear-cut memory of Mion admiring that girlish doll was big proof of that.

He wasn't able to explain it, but Keiichi felt there was another side to Mion, one that had yet to be known to the public. Mion's attributes were a sedentary two-sided coin; there was the familiar, social, gender-defiant disposition that sat above and attracted the attention of many, and then there laid the other hidden (possibly self-reserved and more feminine) trait face-flat on the bottom for none to see.

The concealed personality trait that Mion most likely didn't want anyone to know was an unsung topic, a pique of the human mind, and most importantly, an unanswered question.

And when it came to questions with no answers, Keiichi Maebara, as a remarkable, academic-excelling student who _loathed_ the concept of missing answers, would be dead set on finding its resolution. In his principles, every mystery in life had an explanation; it was all about striving to find it, and that's what Keiichi planned to do: delve into the puzzle of Mion Sonozaki's character, and seek the answers that would end his befuddlement once and for all.

"Kei-chan!"

Speak of the devil. Upon hearing his nickname exclaimed loudly, Keiichi broke out of his contemplations and instinctively turned his head over to the person who called him, wincing over the loud volume as he did so. His dark-ocean eyes were locked against the stern teal eyes penetrating his own. He grumbled in an irritated tone as he stood up from his seat, "Yes, Mion? Can I help you, _Ms. I-Like-Deafening-People_?"

"Yes, you can. I'd like you to stop drifting off into space and get your ass over here," Mion huffed, glaring at Keiichi. "I have no clue what you've been daydreaming about, just sitting all alone in your seat, but it's time for you to join us. We finished setting up our desks and seats together to start our after-school club activites now, no thanks to you."

"Yeah," Satoko piped with an exasperated expression. "Quit stalling! You aren't allowed to neglect your club attendance, not unless you want double penalty."

The brown-haired boy sent a scowl towards Satoko. Oh, how this snot-nosed brat annoyed him so. Being a nuisance of a prankster, she often set up many traps for him to fall into, all just to satisfy her sadistic urges to piss off her victims. It angered Keiichi greatly, considering he was the prime target in her stunts.

Mion grinned at the eleven-year-old blonde, "That can be arranged, assuming Kei-chan continues to be lazy and not participate. I don't mind making him cross-dress right now."

"Hauu, no, that's not very nice," Rena eyed Mion and Satoko with a disapproving frown. She placed her hands on her hips. "You two need to not be so mean to Keiichi-kun," the redhead turned over to Keiichi and softened her gaze. "Keiichi-kun, I've noticed you spacing out a lot lately, and it's okay if you don't want to play today. It's normal to have an off day sometimes."

Scratching his cheek, Keiichi laughed sheepishly, "No, no, it's alright, I'm not sick or anything like that. I just... have many things going on in my head right now."

"You sure have a custom to ruminate, KeiKei," Rika indicated politely as she flashed a warm smile. "But that's a good thing. Studious students do like contemplating, that-is-so. Though while I commend you for being pensive, you should also know better not to fall under your musings for too long. Excessively exploiting that smarty-smart, dutiful brain is unhealthy. Makes it go boom-boom."

Keiichi pushed his seat under his desk and walked over to Rika, an amused grin plastered on his face. He then knelt down and affectionately ruffled the indigo tufts belonging to his hime-cut-haired friend. "Remarkable wisdom there, Rika-chan, don't waste it."

"Mii~!" mewed the bluenette happily.

"Well, what's this? Rika-chan here has been stepping up on her vocabulary, has she?" Mion observed, stroking her chin as she chuckled, "How impressive, little one. Keep that up and you'll grow up to be a very sophisticated woman."

"Indeed," Keiichi agreed. "Rika-chan has the most likely chance of becoming a refined, diligent lady as opposed to some of the more..." he glanced at Satoko, subtly pointed his thumb at her for everyone else to see, and chaffed, "...unfortunate people around here."

"Let's be respectful of others now, Keiichi-kun," chided Rena lightly.

Satoko merely crossed her arms and scoffed, "Whatever. I can still be a prim and proper lady without the big words, so bite me."

_"Prim and proper lady?"_ Keiichi quoted in a questioning tone. He began to jab teasingly, "In your case, that almost sounds like an oxymoron for you, Satoko. Lady? Maybe. Prim and proper? Hell to the no, ixnay to the bold claim. Please, forget the traps, and I'll be more convinced."

"Never." Satoko promptly denied, stubborn in withholding her passion for snares.

Everyone laughed collectively, filling the air around them with their ebullient squalls of rapture. Satoko, at first believing that her friends were making light of her, sulked and puffed her cheeks in pouty fashion. But eventually, she joined in giggling alongside her companions.

It wasn't long until the laughter died away. By then, the group had composed themselves. Mion started, "Okay, Uncle Mion believes we wasted enough time as it is. Sit your butts down while this old man picks out today's game. C'mon, let's go, get to it, your venerable elder has very little time in her hands before she reaches retirement."

_'Uncle Mion... old man...'_ Keiichi's frown made its reappearance as the other girls complied and took their seats. He remained standing, his sour expression thickened the longer his thoughts slowly named out each of Mion's sobriquets. _'Venerable elder... retirement?! I think this buffoonery has gone off long enough.'_

Keiichi scrutinized the flowing cascade of green before him, watching her hum a cheerful tune. Mion had her back turned away from her friends, oblivious to Keiichi's solemnity. She rummaged through her locker, which was crammed with a plethora of board games and squished costumes that were close on the verge to exploding from the inside. Just how did Mion manage to fit all that stuff in her locker anyway? Actually, forget that question; it was irrelevent to him. What mattered most was what he was about to do next.

"I refuse, woman," denied Keiichi, crossing his arms.

Gasps went all around from the seated trio of girls. Pairs of sea-blue, gem-amethyst, and flower-fuchsia eyes, all as wide as pancakes, stared at the adamant boy in shock. Then, they looked over to their club leader.

Mion's hands ceased their scavenging around the stuffed locker, ending the _clangs_ that rang throughout the compartment's jam-packed interior. The class president felt her stiffening body twitch.

That was when Keiichi sensed the sudden shift of atmosphere in the classroom. The air inside started to thicken to the point where it seemed harder to breath. The silence screeched a siren's call, deafening the room so harshly only muffled sounds of the thrumming cicadas outside could pass through everyone's ears. No more did the pleasant, tranquil, warming wafts roam the classroom background; there now only remained an unwelcome, biting aura of tense air.

"Kei-chan," a grave, scarily calm voice exuded from Mion, slicing through the inspissated ambience of the lecture room. The teenage girl had her head lowered, her leaf-green fringes shadowed her downcast eyes. She kept her back turned against Keiichi. **[3]**

"Yeah...?" Keiichi responded carefully, very much unnerved though still maintaining a steady composure regardless.

"You are not to deny your club leader's orders. That's mutiny at its finest. And another thing," Mion circled around in alarming speed. She fixed Keiichi a death stare so menacing that armies of demons would fall petrified under its threatening and unwildering gaze. "You don't _ever_ assume peoples' genders in that regard, not to this old man especially. Uncle Mion doesn't take too kindly to such offenses."

A relieved grin surfaced upon Keiichi's countenance as he felt the classroom's atmosphere lighten. It was fortunate that Mion decided to be nice and let him off with a warning. He made a mental note to thank Lady Luck for his mercy later. "My deepest apologies, Mion."

"That's _Uncle_ Mion to you, boy," corrected the greenette as she huffed an ire expulsion of air.

"Right, right. Sorry, Uncle Mion, ha-ha!" Keiichi recitified his last words, raising his hands in a surrender gesture.

Rena, Rika, and Satoko all simultaneously did an intake together and sighed in ease. Satoko mumbled quietly to herself, saying stuff along the lines of how foolish and reckless Keiichi could be. Rena looked as if all weight was lifted off her shoulders, glancing up at the ceiling and silently thanking the gods for the absence of bloodshed. Rika just smiled her usual happy-go-lucky smile.

"_Humph!_ Youngsters like you these days have utterly zero respect for the veterans. Disgraceful," Mion assumed her favored role and grumbled bitterly. She directed her attention back to her locker and resumed fishing through the abundance of board/card games in her storage.

"Again, I'm really sorry," laughed Keiichi. "It's just..." his smile melted away as a glum look emerged in its place. He slumped down slightly in dejection. "Just that I don't understand."

Mion sighed and halted her search for gaming entertainment. She turned back to gaze exasperatedly at Keiichi and placed her hands on her hips. "What's not to understand, Kei-chan? From the first day we've met, I've told you everything you needed to know about me. I'm the illustrious Uncle Mion, an ol' man of great esteem. I don't see what you're so confused over."

"Well, uhh, that's the thing, see," Keiichi rubbed the back of his tilted head. Choosing his words carefully so not as to anger Mion again, he began to elaborate, "You keep on calling yourself an old man... yet all I ever see is a- uhhmm, ermm..."

The teenage boy winced as he hesitantly concluded, "...young, beautiful woman."

Rena and Satoko both snapped their heads back to Keiichi, staring at him with mouths agape. Even Rika was visibly surprised; the blue-haired child scrutinized Keiichi through her widened bubbly eyes, sitting in a more up straight position as she marginally reclined her head back from the stunning turn of events. Though neither of the other girls were as flabbergasted as Mion.

For Mion Sonozaki, Keiichi had saw something incredibly out-of-character from the tomboyish girl.

Truthfully, he expected her to bite his head off, hence why he had used his hands to shield his ears and prepare for any ear-splitting displays of aggresive enmity that could potentially leave him deaf with bleeding ears. But his worries washed away when he glimpsed more upon the Sonozaki girl's disposition.

Mion, who was normally seen as a loquacious and out-going girl, was now quiet and a complete contrast of her typical hoydenish character. The sudden changes in his best friend's persona were inexplicit to Keiichi, though that hadn't stopped him from noting down all those differences.

Stripped of her posture of self-confidence and assertiveness, Mion buckled her knees, falling back into a recoiling - almost _cowering_ \- pose. Her big teal eyes, which usually flickered in high-spirits and appeared steady observant globes, were dilated and quivering in bashful behavior. Her lips tore open its crevass briefly before closing shut, and Keiichi grew mesmerized at the unidentified look on her face.

She still retained her frown, yet there was a distinct sense of reticent qualities behind it. Just what was going on?

"Is... is that what you think you see, Kei-chan?" a self-conscious Mion smothered her hands in her cleavage, glimpsing away from Keiichi every now and then.

Keiichi was taken aback. The clover-colored girl before him spoke in a timid voice that was so _foreign_ to him; never had he heard such a set of slurring vocals uttered from Mion until now. It was like he was talking to an entirely different person, as if Mion somehow had another living being a part of her who could assume her name.

Then it hit him, the unexpected strike of rememberance to the head, the unforeseen flash of recollection which blinded his clear vision momentarily. Images dating back to that peculiar day where he found Mion gazing fondly at that girlish doll from the store were reaching over to him like a tsunami. That instance was the only time he seen Mion as someone unalike from the neighborly old man, "Uncle Mion". Could this person be the same individual he had discovered once before?

"...uhh...yes? I'm very sure of what I see," Keiichi quirked an eyebrow, shooting a dubious look at Mion. He sent a pointing finger to the greenette. "Hey, you alright? You're acting a lot stranger than usual."

"Keiichi-kun, that is extremely rude! You know better to point fingers and make inconsiderate comments," Rena scolded Keiichi. She glared at him sharply as she stood up from her seat. "You need to apologize to Mi-chan right this instant."

"Ahh... no, no, that won't be neccessary," Mion reassured, waving her hands in a placating gesture at the auburn-haired girl. "It's fine, Rena-chan, really. I..." her cheeks began to flush crimson as she smiled shyly. "...I don't mind at all."

The brown-haired male looked to and fro between his two teenage friends. He quietly observed them both, his marine orbs fixated particularly on Mion's bashful form. Keiichi tilted his head in curiosity. Mion became more and more perplexing by the minute. Still, she was an intriguing subject worthy of attention, and Keiichi felt his inquisitive side yearn louder to pry into the topic.

He started to approach Mion, who jerked slightly upon perceiving his brusque advances. Keiichi's shuffling feet came to a standstill once the distance between the boy and greenette was severed in an adequate-length gap. "Hey, Mion."

Mion let out a tiny squeak, her cheeks saturated in a deeper tone of rich red. "Oh, uh, yeah, Kei-chan?"

"Is everything okay with you? I mean - I'm not trying to insinuate that you're weird or anything in that regard, but - uh, erm, well, uh- I guess what I'm saying is, uh," Keiichi looked for the right words to use. "You seem... different."

"I-I see," Mion glanced below at her shifting feet. Her face grew perturbed. "Well, uhmm, I am just a bit startled, is all. Sorry if it bothers you."

"Nah, don't you worry about it. I'm not rattled or anything like that," Keiichi dismissed Mion's worries, shaking his head to signify a friendly decline. He flashed a warming, white-toothed smile. "Au contraire, I'm not troubled at all; I'm surprised, rather. Never have I seen you so reserved before."

The lush-leaf-haired girl lifted her gaze up to meet Keiichi, her countenance visibly less disheartened. She eyed him in bonafide naivety, angling her head off to the side before querying the boy nervously, "Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not. Like I said, I'm simply shocked you have this other character to yourself. It's an intriguing revelation. I don't mind if you're bashful or whatever," the boy upraised the corners of his lips. "And in fact, I really like this softer side of you."

Mion found herself stunned, immensely flabbergasted at his last statement. "You _what_?"

"I said I like this softer side of you," he repeated casually, not addressing the astonished look sent his way. Whether Keiichi did or didn't notice was anyone's guess. "This distinct Mion Sonozaki I see before me is an arcane debutante, yet strangely, I feel drawn to her like a bee to honey. She's more... honest with herself, more demure, and unpretentious. But most importantly, she's more encompassing of her own interests over what she wants people to perceive her as in terms of gender."

Keiichi then shook his head.

"God damn it, I don't know what I'm saying; I'm just making this up as I go..." he glimpsed below briefly before looking back up and continuing, "Back on topic, my point is that I want to see more of this unacknowledged persona of yours, Mion. She - _whoever_ this other Mion is in name - seems like a down-to-earth, affable person I can acquaint myself with easily, and it'd be nice if I got to see more of her, rather than old man Mion."

"...Kei-chan..." whispered Mion, nearly breathless in her speech.

The only male teenager in the classroom guffawed loudly, "It's funny, really. I feel as if I'm already getting to know you. Perhaps that's because I've seen you previously back last Sunday, around the toy store in Okinomiya when it was afternoon."

"_Eehhhh?!_ You've went there?!" the class representative exclaimed in a staggered tone, heavily flustered. She could hardly believe it; here Keiichi was, revealing that he went over to her part-time work place and had apparently caught her staring at a doll there. The disclosure alone sent her close to fainting.

"Yup, I so happened to be in the neighborhood when I discovered you, completely fixated at that little princess doll. Boy, you sure threw me off, Mion," Keiichi responded cheerfully.

Satoko scooted over to Rika and muttered curiously, "What is Keiichi-san talking about? _Mion-san,_ staring at _girly,_ princess _dolls_? This has liar written all over it. Rena-san should chew him out."

The indigo-haired girl bit back the urges to giggle. She glanced at her confused blond friend with an amused look and murmured back, "Erm, no, sir. KeiKei isn't lying. Cleaver Girl knows that, and she aware of what's also going on here, as am I." **[4]**

"Huh? What do you mean by, _"What's also going on"_? Isn't it simple," Satoko furrowed her brows. "Keiichi-san is _obviously_ talking crap. That's all there is to it."

Rika rubbed her friend's head sympathetically. "You poor kitty. If only you'd look _inside_ the box instead of looking at it from outside," she went back to watching the spectacle involving Mion and Keiichi, though not before adding sweetly, "But ignorance is bliss, sir. Keep on being a good girl."

Satoko frowned and looked at Rika with a confused expression, musing over why she was suddenly talking about boxes.

Back to Keiichi and Mion, both teenagers were still locked in gazes with one another; Keiichi's fixed look was chipper and friendly, whereas Mion's appeared awkward and diffident. The latter trembled subtly enough to avoid detection from the eyes of all her friends, though internally, the profuse embarrassment subjected her heart to a fast, dangerous beating rate.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, you misunderstand the situation!" Mion spluttered as she quickly formed excuses in her mind. "That wasn't me, not me at all! You were sorely deceived. The person you saw that day was my twin sister, Shion. _She_ was who you had encountered."

Keiichi shook his head with a sigh. "Mion, please don't concoct that exaggerated twin idea. Neither me nor anyone gullible would fall for such a thing, and frankly, I find it hard to understand why you feel so ashamed. You are aware of what I'm talking about, yes?"

"Oh... yeah, I know what you're referring to..." Mion trailed off in her words under hesistance briefly. She tuned up her voice to speak louder, "...the doll with gold hair. My Uncle Yoshirou was the one who decided to put it on glass display."

The sole boy amongst females bobbed his head comprehensively as he expressed his surprise aloud, "Ah, I see. Do you like that doll?"

"Well, uhmm, I-" Mion, though unsure and slow in her speech, was about to reveal her answer...

...only for Satoko to cut her off. The eleven-year-old prankster interjected, "Keiichi-san, stop bullying our club leader. Just because you always lose in our games doesn't give you the right to be a sore loser and go around ruining Mion-san's reputations by making up this false rumor of her."

"Shut your mouth, you cheating tyke, you know absolutely nothing. I only ask and speak truth in its unripe form," retorted Keiichi angrily.

Satoko snorted, "You want truth? Okay then, here's your desired truth. Tomorrow, I'll be more ferocious in my traps ten-fold, as punishment for you wasting all of our precious time today. You'll be so sorry you wished you-"

"I do."

Both Keiichi and Satoko ceased their bickering. They whipped their heads around to face the source of the faint-but-clear voice that had just intervened. The two members of the Gaming Club widened their eyes in surprise upon discovering a timid Mion, who flinched from her peers' sharp stares.

Keiichi blinked in confusion and began, "Mion, did I hear right? Did you say-"

"Yes, I did. I said, _"I do"_. I do like that doll very much," Mion turned away to her left timorously. She spoke in such a way that was blunt and swift, befitting of her nervous state.

"No way..." Satoko uttered incredulously, disbelief clouded over the concoction of vivid-purple and blood-red that were her eyes.

As for Keiichi, he simply walked the front of his chest away from Satoko, guiding it over to face Mion and to keep his focus on her entirely. He hid the exasperated disposition used on Satoko and replaced it with a more pacific look. "Good to hear. And would it be right of me to assume that you want to buy that doll?"

Mion curved the edges of her lips in a descending slope, louring externally towards the Maebara boy. "No, it wouldn't. I admit I like the doll, but for me to _buy_ it? Hell no. Your foolish notions bring no end to my bafflement. Such a stupid question you ask me."

She moped harder as her teal orbs lowered below and darkened in sadness, "...besides, even if I did want to take that doll with me, I would never subject myself to humiliate myself for it. Just imagine the responses I'd get from everyone."

The brown-haired male teenager simply chuckled in response, "Is that it? C'mon, Mion, I know you like pretending to be a man at times, but there's nothing wrong with taking interest in girly things. You are a girl after all. Don't let those insecurities stop you from relishing what you truly adore. What people think of you, it shouldn't matter. Be yourself as you wish."

Mion didn't bulge from her crestfallen state. She sulked hard, her shoulders slouched and her dejected arms drooped.

"Aww, man, you just _have_ to be all pouty and difficult, don't you?" Keiichi sighed exasperatedly, his breath blew out in a thick, heated haze. But his frustrations soon dissipated. He placed his hands on hips and beamed, "Well, if your going to continue acting like this, then that just means I have to take action. Alright, it's decided, I'll buy you that doll."

"_Eeehhh...?!_" ejaculated the Sonozaki girl. She scrutinized the boy in front of her with open-mouthed astonishment. Rika, Rena, and Satoko all shared similar gaping looks.

Keiichi smiled warmly, "Why are you girls agape? All of you act as if I've suddenly become King of England. Personally, I'm okay with spending my money for you ladies, so I don't see any issues in my decision."

The brown-haired male began to explain, "Mion said she likes the doll, but won't buy it herself since she's overly concerned about other people's opinion. That's where I come in, and purchase the doll for her. That way, Mion here can get what she want and won't be troubled anymore. Heh-heh, am I or am I not a man of plans?"

"B-Bu-But you're a _boy_, and a stupid one at that. You aren't supposed to pick up girly things!" Satoko stammered, heavily disgusted.

Then, realization made its dawned awakening upon her, and before long, the horrified Trap Master pointed an accusing finger at Keiichi and cried out, "_Eeuughh_, Keiichi-san is one of those weird boys who like taking home lady-like items. Disgusting. I knew making him wear dresses for penalty games was gonna convert him some day."

"There you go again, using that nasty, cold-steel tongue. You little brat," Keiichi frowned disdainfully towards Satoko. His eyes shimmered a murderous glint. "If you weren't such a good friend, I'd have grab a pair of sissors and clipped off that tongue by now."

"Haauu... Keiichi-kun, that's a very sweet gesture. You're willing to help Mi-chan even if it'll cost you your dignity. That's admirable," Rena opined in an effusive voice, quick to defuse the arousing banter.

Keiichi redirected his focus to Rena. His grin returned. "What are companions for? And it's not like you girls hadn't already ruined my dignity enough anyway."

He then went back to gazing at Mion, broadening the corners of his mouth further and exposing his gleaming white pearls. His buoyant periwinkle eyes scanned the green-haired girl's stupefied visage keenly. "So, yeah, you can expect a tiny belle of royalty in your arms tomorrow. I'll get you that princess doll later in the afternoon today when I can."

"...K...Kei-chan..." Mion breathed out in a whisper, her mind utterly befuddled by the unforeseen offer Keiichi propounded to her. "I... I- I- uh- nhhg- gffhn- uhh..." she fumbled with her speech, spewing out an incoherant jumble of words no one could understand.

Though eventually, the class representative fell silent. She drew in a large scoop of air and expelled it out from her nose. Mion collected herself and asked curiously, "Why, Kei-chan? Why would you do this for me?"

"Because we should all be entitled to what we love, regardless of the inane and negative thoughts people bare towards us. Don't let judgement bring you down," Keiichi answered with honesty as he flashed his thumb up. "Be the person you wish to be, and follow your desires that you believe will make you happy. No matter what actions you take, no matter what kind of person you want to live as, you'll always be the same charming girl that I and everyone else admire dearly."

Mion gasped, thrown in a dumbfounded disposition. She placed a hand over her mouth. Her cheeks bloomed in flowers of sweltering red, and her vivid chlorophyll eyes sparkled with thin sphere bubbles of light glossing over the quaking pupils and irises.

"Oi, you alright, Mion?" Keiichi detected the thunderstruck greenette's unswerving daze. He leaned in and examined Mion closely. His eyes marginally opened up even more as he then indicated, "Woah, what's up with your cheeks right now? They've gone as red as tomatoes all of a sudden."

The burnt-umber-haired boy stepped into Mion's personal space, standing just a strand of hair away from her face. He raised a hand and lightly settled it over the class representative's forehead, disregarding the warm, thick and silky feel of her curtaining sward-like bangs kissing his palm.

"W- Wha...?" Mion felt her heart throb intensely as her face rose in calefaction.

"Damn, this isn't good. You're heating up pretty bad," observed the teenage male. Then, he did the unexpected. Keiichi promptly took Mion's hand, his fingers closed together over her dainty hand in a secure but tender hold. "We should take you to the infirmary. I'll guide you through the corridor."

Keiichi turned away and tugged Mion's seized hand in signal for her to follow. Though he anticipated a compliant reaction, he was instead treated to the sounds of a swooning moan and a hard _thud_ to the satiny, mahogany surface of the classroom's square-tiled flooring. At the same time, he suddenly lost his grip over the small, soft hand belonging to Mion.

Alarmed, Keiichi spun around and his perse eyes flashed lively in panic. Veiled over his vision was the sprawled form of Mion, laid down on her side nearby his feet. "M-Mion!"

The emerald-haired girl made no verbal response. She had her beryl eyes sewed shut. Her face was painted in scarlet pigment, and her body sporadically twitched every now and then. But the strangest facet to her collapsed state was the small, blissful smile that etched her lips.

"Shi- er, I mean- _Shoot!_" Keiichi refrained from cursing, aware of the two pre-teens amongst him. He placed his hands on top of his head and overreacted, "What just happened? What did I do?"

"That is my exact question to you! What _did_ you _do_, Keiichi-san?!" Satoko chewed him out. She marched over to the boy and rudely shoved him, sending him back a few steps. "This must be an elaborate scheme of yours. Admit it, you were planning on making Mion-san faint from the start in attempt to snake your way out of today's club activity. You stoop so low."

Keiichi growled angrily through his breath. He stomped towards the blonde before reciprocating the pushing gesture, forcing her to stagger back. "Back off. I've had no insidious intentions like that in mind. I'm innocent."

"Keiichi-kun, Satoko-chan, cease this senseless violence. No fighting," Rena intervened. She stepped in between her two quarreling friends, extending both open hands out at each of them in restraint as she gave glancing glares to the opposing sides.

Satoko and Keiichi loured at Rena, then exchanged harsher glowers to each other, before looking away with crossed arms. They both let out exasperated, discontented grunts.

Standing firmly in the middle of the diminished dispute, Rena blew out a sigh of relief, pleased to have prevented the likely dangerous outcome that could've ended badly for Keiichi and Satoko.

Rika skipped about towards Keiichi, her apple-red Mary Jane shoes tapped the floors repeatedly. Below the blue-haired girl, the ground emitted repetitive _pitter-patters_ in mild protest of her light footsteps stamping its many squared faces. Opening her dainty, loving arms, she reached over to Keiichi and trapped him in an encircling embrace. "Mii, you have done well, sir. I'm so proud."

"Huh?" Keiichi softened his disgruntled disposition as his gaze descended to the petite child before him. He wiggled in pleasure over the affectionate warmth transmitted from Rika's small form to his waist. "What for, Rika-chan?"

"For beginning to delve deeper into a girl's hidden interests and then grasping a better understanding of them. It's nice to see you're finally being more considerate of Mii's feelings. She's delicate and difficult to deal with, so witnessing your actions leaves me in awe," answered a smiling Rika in admiration.

The Furude girl tightened her hold in a cordial squeeze. "Most men have trouble accomplishing such a feat. You should feel extremely proud of yourself, KeiKei. I know I do, and for that, you deserve a hug," she buried her face into his hip as her grin broadened. "Huggie, huggie. Nipaahhh~!"

Keiichi shared Rika's cheerful expression. He chuckled and patted her scalp encircled in the surrounding, rich floods of her royal blue hair. "Wow, thanks, Rika-chan. I appreciate the hug." he then added in thought. _'...even though I don't quite understand what you mean with all that hidden interest talk. Ah, oh well, Mion's happy and I finally got to know her a little more. That's what's important.'_

"Miii..." Rika cooed adorably under his rough-but-amiable head massage. "...mew... mew..."

Satoko's cheeks began swelling up, forming to be as round as balloons. The petulant prankster, with her penetrating eyes concocted with washing colors of royalty's purple and blood's red, gazed at Keiichi contemptuously. "_Hmnph_... if Keiichi-san's truly as great as Rika believes, then he wouldn't be making girls faint."

She closed her eyes and sighed with a disappointed shake of her head, running a hand through her golden locks. "I swear, these people... I'll never understand them..."

Rena let her eyes wandered over to the fainted Mion behind her, peering down at her best friend's inert form. The auburn-haired girl felt a curling soft smile skulk its way over her light-pink lips.

Unbeknownst to everyone (with the possible exception of Rena), Mion Sonozaki was conscious and very much informed of what was transpiring with her friends currently. In truth, she did indeed swoon momentarily; the touching compliments Keiichi threw in about her being a young, beautiful, and charming girl were hard for her gentle heart to handle, and the friendly gesture of him volunteering to escort her to the infirmary was just the icing on the cake.

Though Mion didn't mind too much personally. If the green-haired girl had to be painfully honest about it right now, she'd say the whole display of Keiichi's charismatic ignorance was rather endearing to her. Most people were accustomed to her spunky, tomboyish guise in spite of the fact that Mion had other - more _preferred_ \- qualities to her. Yet, out of all of them, Keiichi didn't seem to share the same opinions.

No, Keiichi wanted to discover and acquaint with the other side to her - one that Mion herself preferred greatly as well. He had the audacity to boldly defy what was widely accepted by most, all for the sake of seeking the demure and feminine persona she hoped to expose once she mustered enough courage. Should Mion have been pissed for his flamboyant and daring bravado?

Probably. But she was too enthralled with the kindness behind his actions to be irated. The echoing words of his gallant offer to buy her the doll remained as vivid and cordial to Mion as the intricate lush scenery of Hinamizawa's rural land. The thought of her accepting the bought gift from Keiichi in the next day left Mion shivering in excited anticipation.

Wait... Mion halted in her musings. Now that she delved more into the topic regarding that doll, there was just _something_ about it bothering her. She distinctively recalled how Keiichi encountered her at her part-time work place. He had said something about her admiring the doll put on public view last Sunday afternoon.

That was very peculiar. Mion didn't remember herself drooling over a girly object out in the open; in fact, the greenette knew for _sure_ she didn't commit such a deed. Sunday afternoon was one of her shifts. She couldn't have had the time to admire the doll, not especially since she'd be too busy handling customers...

And at that moment, the brief visit her twin sister, Shion, paid to her on that same day came into memory.

Mion frowned to herself, displeased. _'Stupid Shion! As per usual, sis attracts attention that gets me thrown into her messes. It was already bad enough she only came to my work-place to annoy the hell out of me, but then she had to go around dressed as me, gawking over girly dolls in public.'_

The Sonozaki girl continued to berate her twin sister internally. Whether her actions came deliberate or inadvertent, Shion always seemed to find ways to embarrass her. Mion had specifically asked her sister to keep a low profile, especially with Keiichi around.

She went so far to even make Shion dress up exactly how she did whenever the twin felt like going out, in the same mustard-yellow shirt, azure-blue jeans partnered with a white sweatshirt wrapped around it, and long cascading green ponytail Mion herself usually sported on her free time, as opposed to her usual, more-girlish clothing and untied, green cataract hair.

Damn that Shion sometimes. Thanks to her sister, it was likely Mion wouldn't be able to live down the humiliation, and Keiichi would probably pester her more about her girly side.

_'But then again, I appreciate how Kei-chan's starting to see me as a girl now...'_ the green-haired girl felt her beet-red cheeks heat up as she smiled heartily. _'Maybe for once, Shion actually done something right this time. Boy, do I have a story to tell her when we meet up later.'_

Mion giggled. One thing was certain, things between her and Keiichi were sure to turn out interesting from now on in.

[-x-]

**A/N II:** **Alright, that's it! This one was pretty relieving to write out, especially since I don't have to write too much this time. I think I've reached out around 8,000+ words here. Not too bad, not too bad. The ending here is alright, though I feel like I could've come up with something better; there was something that crossed my mind, but I couldn't remember so I settled with this ending. Hope no one isn't too upset about it.**

**Up next will be about Rena, and it's going to be a bit of an AU too, because y'know, it's about time I started adding a bit more spices into my stories, ha ha!**

**And as usual, below here will be notes marked by [X] for some of the references and interesting trivia facts I made here. Don't hesistate to check them out.**

**Until next time, beautiful people. See you then!**

[-x-]

**Notes:**

**[1]** In Japanese, Keiichi's name translates to _"noble one"_ in English, with "Kei" meaning _noble_ and "ichi" meaning _one_.

**[2]** Ha ha, before you ask, yes, this is the very same doll Mion wanted Keiichi to give her in _Watanagashi-hen, Meakashi-hen,_ and _Minagoroshi-hen_. I thought it would've been a nice jab to canon.

**[3]** I've been getting back into _Pokemon_ lately (_Super Mystery Dungeon_ specifically, if you're wondering), so here's a nice reference to one of the older DS games.

**[4]** Cleaver Girl is Rena's nickname dubbed by Rika. She uses this for Rena in _Tsumihoroboshi-hen_ during the whole school hostage situation. It references the fact that Rena keeps a cleaver in Hinamizawa's trash heap.


	4. Counting the Days

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**Author's Note:** **Okay, this time, I'll write something that's a bit different from canon. It involves a zombie apocalypse, and the one who gets the most spotlight here will be Rena. I think that's fair since Rena hasn't really been getting as much attention from me as all the other Higurashi characters. **

**This one-shot is sort of set after **_Matsuribayashi-hen_**. I mean, I only see it as an entirely different scenario for what the cast could go through if things took a creative-but-dark turn for the usually-peaceful village that is Hinamizawa. All the Gaming Club members, Hanyuu and Satoshi included, are involved in some ways.**

**One last note until we get to the end, I decided to play around with the past and present tenses for this story to better portray what goes on in the flashbacks and what is currently occurring. I am well-adjusted to past tense, though present tense is a bit more tricky (thankfully, I'm not going to swap past and present tenses that much, so it'll be less of a pain to deal with). This story is a perfect test to see how I do. Sorry if it comes out weird.**

**Anyway, as always, reviews are greatly welcomed; **_**no flames**_**. And hope you enjoy!**

**.**

**STORY ORIGINALLY POSTED ON JULY 28, 2019 (interestingly enough, this date so happens to be Rena Ryuuguu's birthday, so it's funny I post a Rena-centric chapter today. I found out about this just now. Completely coincidental, honest! xD)**

[-x-]

_Summary: Slight AU. A zombie outbreak stirs throughout all of Japan, and the residents of Hinamizawa are left to fend for themselves against the populating zombies. Rena Ryuuguu muses over humanity's instilled downfall and the tragedies centered around her friends. With very few survivors by her side, all she can do is count the days. _

_Pairing(s): N/A_

_Rated: T (for character death and mild gore)_

[-x-]

**3\. Counting the Days**

**...**

_Thud!_ goes the crashing zombie who plummets down to the rough, dirt trail. His bones, frail from the natural curse of old age, snap like twigs. The harsh stomach-churning sounds of the zombie's fracture blare loudly throughout the terra firma's surface, causing the earth around him to quake faintly from the painful collision.

Though the zombie thinks of nothing but the instilled yearn for brains, he could just about perceive the splitting, echoing pain that sends hammering strikes to the certain, bruising parts of his body where the pain is inflicted upon. The decrepit living corpse lays miserably on the ground, his thin, broken limbs contorting and sprawling in a horrific sight.

He lifts his head, mustering what little remaining strength he has left untainted by the overshadowing shrouds of pain coursing through his mangled body. His bloodshot, sickening bronze eyes widen in fear, scanning the looming sihouette who stood above menacingly.

The shadowy figure raises a hooked, oversized cleaver above their head, a blinding glint of white glosses over the spiked tip of the blade.

Without wasting any time, they plunge down their weapon in an alarming velocity. The elderly zombie shrieks a shrill cry as he helplessly watches the hazy, thin line of the descending blade extend down his vision. His sense of feeling perceive the cold, sharp steel embedding into his skull, and that's when he feels the most excruciating twinge of pain sting over his head.

The amassed pain forming around the zombie's cranium bursts into an explosion from within his head. It envelopes his ears in a resonating _ringing_ which smothers his hearing, and the single undead starts to see nothing but a darkening blur gradually covering his gaze in a thick cloud.

Suddenly, everything falls in a black silence, and he feels nothing of his senses.

Rena Ryuuguu stares down upon the mutilated corpse with an blank stare. She heaves her cleaver out from her victim's skull, eliciting blood out of the open wound in unsettling _slosh_ noises. Her aqua eyes fixate on the split gap that travels down the forehead of the unmoving body, watching it spew a flowing red torrent out from its severed opening as its contents stream down on the unpaved road.

A disappointed sigh escapes from the redhead's lips as she lowers her weapon to her side, dismissing the soft dribbles of clinging blood slip off from the blade to the ground. This was nothing short of another dead body stacking above her conscience, and Rena knew it wouldn't be the last.

The auburn-haired girl spins on her heel and darts off in the opposite direction. She passes by the countless other corpses littering the dirt trails and all the decrepit buildings wearing out slightly in neglect and never-ending attacks. Everything is left sullied, either in glistening wet pools, or dried streaking smudges of gore.

Surprisingly, the greenery and trees remain lush and in tact, though all those attributes of the scenery serve as nothing but a rancorous reminder of the tranquil setting Hinamizawa had long since lost. It doesn't help that the plant life has been settled as a part of the grisly bloodshed scene.

As her legs move in a way which seem swift and restless yet naturally graceful in movement, Rena begins to contemplate the transpired madness that had rained down her home village and flooded the world in chaos.

[-x-]

Where had it all started?

Truthfully, that was something Rena had trouble remembering; she was much better at recollecting the tragic story centered around her and her friend. Nevertheless, the redhead managed to recall snippets of television news she and her father watched regarding the chemical contraband smuggling that went on in Gifu. It was hard to figure out what had happened _exactly_; there was something about a feud between the local crime syndicates who fought for possession of the illegal chemicals to sell off.

Amongst those syndicates, the Sonozaki clan, a yakuza family that one of Rena's best friend, Mion, was a young member in, gotten themselves involved to confiscate the chemicals as a way to end the chaos that ensued, as well to prevent any potential disasters from coming to life.

One thing led after another, and shootings occured. Then somehow, under the midst of all the constant gunfire which went for months on end, one of the chemical trucks that drove by Shishibone City, an area adjacent to Giru where Rena herself so happened to reside in, had accidently crashed into a nearby gas station. That in turned produced a massive swirling sphere of fire that released all the noxious gases from the chemical truck to the skies, which contaminated the swarming air around upon release. **[1]**

The pollution spreaded throughout Okonomiya to the opposite direction of where Hinamizawa was located, leaving myriad residents infected. And thus began the outbreak of zombies who reigned the streets upon arrival. For Hinamizawa, her home village was miraculously spared from the toxic fumes through a stroke of luck.

Rena didn't understand how that happened, though Rika at one point mentioned something about a local disease - seemingly swarming about through its invisible form as the small, pastoral village's blowing gales - repelling the impure air. It was just speculation, but it was the only guess that seemed to make the most sense comparatively.

All theories aside, that hadn't stopped the spawned zombies of Okonomiya from reaching Hinamizawa. The rural village was just a steep slope away after all, and it would only be days later when the villagers were treated to a grim welcome.

Though Rena was quick on her feet to act against the impromptu visit, as were her other companions. Even Shion joined alongside her twin sister and the others when she entered the village, though it had only been a stroke of luck that she managed to get in (and even then, _that_, in turn, costed her the life of her faithful bodyguard, Kasai, who tried to hold off the zombies to help Shion pass through; an honorable end for an honorable man).

They banded together in a small group, sharing whatever food, water, and other reliable resources were available at their disposal. Weaponry wasn't much of an issue either since everyone had something to use for self-defense. It also helped that Mion's family so happened to have access to a variety of explosives and firearms back at her house, which was where they took sanctuary in at the time.

Not particularly fond of guns, Rena was one of the few who opted to rely on a melee weapon (she thought she would've been better off with her trusty cleaver over a dangerous firearm that could potentially do her more harm than good, anyway). Stick to what you know best, she believed.

Then began the Gaming Club's fierce resistance against the zombie apocalypse. For the first week, it turned out horribly, _horribly_ wrong. Amassing zombies kept barreling towards their refuge non-stop, and that proved difficult for Rena and her fellow comrades to take a breather. As if that wasn't worse enough, their efforts weren't doing much in diminishing the growing number of the walking dead.

And after that rough beginning, things began to go even more downhill fast. Anxiety was building up rapidly amongst the team, and before long, conflicts sparked dangerously all around. Mion, Shion, Keiichi, even Rika and Hanyuu all wanted to vacate the village in search of better refuge - perhaps even discover a guaranteed ticket (like a military rescue or some unique means of transportation) to survival.

Rena, Satoko, and Satoshi were one of the small few who preferred to stay in Hinamizawa, for vastly different reasons.

The Houjou siblings were both quite fearful in what unadulterated horrors they could encounter along the way if any of them chose to follow their other friends. Regarding Rena, she was adamant against abandoning Hinamizawa. The concept behind leaving her own home as well as being forced to live her days as a vagabond came off appalling to her. Then, there was the curse of Oyashiro-sama to consider. Should they all depart, the guardian deity would no doubt be enraged and cast misfortune upon them for breaking her rule of never leaving Hinamizawa.

For some inexplicit reason, Hanyuu seemed rather upset when Rena pointed out how Oyashiro-sama was merciless towards those who dared rebelled against her commandments. The redhead had noticed, though she never bothered to inquire Hanyuu's distress. **[2]**

Shion, being the most vehement for leaving the village, quickly grew vexed with Rena's stubborn and (in the twin's own personal opinion) nonsensical behavior. She verbally lashed out at her as a result. Under normal circumstances, Rena was a patient, level-headed woman. Though from the acute stress of persevering against the brutal zombie attacks with little-to-no rest, there was only so much the russet-haired girl could handle, so the next thing Rena knew, she found herself voicing her own enmity toward Shion.

Everyone else stepped in to placate the quarrel between their friends, but sadly, their efforts were left fruitless. Protests were tossed about, insults were flung to and fro, even death threats were exchanged. With each passing second, the hostile tempers belonging to Rena and Shion only seemed to worsen. Then eventually, Shion had enough and concluded that Rena was a lost cause.

The twin sister of Mion did make an attempt to sway Satoko and Satoshi over to her side. However, neither the older brother nor his little sister were convinced to sojourn away from Hinamizawa, so they insisted on staying with Rena. That more than sufficed to upset Shion even further. In the end, a distraught Shion made the decision for the club-games coterie to depart, without Rena and the Houjou siblings. Mion wanted badly to make a compromise, but from the tone of finality her sister spoke in, it was evident she wouldn't be able to get any say in the matter, even with her position as the group's leader.

Thus, the Sonozaki sisters made their departure alongside the majority who chose to accompany them. Most of them bid their farewells, though Shion simply left a contemptous grunt directed at Rena. The auburn-haired teenager easily brushed it off, the feeling was mutual anyway.

As their friends ventured off in the secret underground dungeon Mion's family kept hidden around their manor, Satoko and Satoshi expressed their wishful goodbyes through the light waves of their hands.

The same could not be said for Rena. She merely stared blankly at the group cast in bold darkness, watching them fade away in the shadowy distance under the insipid grotto that consisted of nothing but a crude, towering dry-brown mountain. Down at the bollow center of it hollowed a gaping hole with looming iron doors that served to seal away the entrance to the dungeon.

Rena shook her head in disappointment as soon as she lost sight of Shion and the others. Disregarding the awkward presence of Satoshi and Satoko, she exploded within the deepest regions of her mind, ranting about how incredibly _foolish_ they were. The outside world was filled with horrors one would expect much too late to act in time. She was absolutely positive their decision to journey the outskirts of Hinamizawa would result in tragedy.

And much to her astute belief, Rena was right.

No sooner than five days at the most did the departed group return, but only in the morbid appearance of a solemn Shion carrying a profusely pale-faced Keiichi, who could barely keep himself conscious with his fluttering eyes and swaying head. The most gruesome out of the impromptu visit was the absence of his right leg, which was replaced with clumsy wraps of bandages in a blood-stained bundle enveloping the stump area where his knee should have been. Both of them were drenched severely in bruises and scratches, and their clothes tattered apart.

The cleaver girl could never forget the frighteningly lucid screams of horror Satoko screeched upon witnessing such a sight.

Rena had trouble figuring out what went wrong since Keiichi wasn't in the right condition to answer her questions. The poor boy had fallen comatose shortly after he was set in bed to rest, and Shion was strongly insistent on not telling her anything. It was clear that based off their last encounter, which ended on bitter terms, the green-haired girl held a lasting grudge toward the redhead.

Had it not been for the soft-hearted and benevolent Satoshi, who Shion loved dearly and had been the one to easily convince her into talking, Rena would have brandished her trusty cleaver and threatened to cut off every single limb that rancorous Shion had until she'd finally be cooperative enough to answer.

Granted, that method seemed far aggressive and rather extreme for Rena, but it was efficient. Plus, it'd help her relief off a huge portion of her frustrations as an added bonus.

Once Shion felt ready to expose the truth, she began to share her side of the story to Rena and the Houjou siblings, and they all listened tentatively with fixed eyes and open ears.

[-x-]

_...The peregrination to the vast and more populated regions of Okinomiya on foot wasn't difficult to accomplish, certainly not to Shion and the others. _

_No, it had been the streets and buildings that were the roots of their dilemma. The entire town was invested with roaming zombies, like honey-craving bees to a honey-filled nest. No one could pass through the droning, drooling crowd. At least not without putting up a fight, and that's exactly what Mion's group had done._

_At first, it started easy. Bashing, tazing, slicing, and busting zombie heads, at the same time evading their enemies' infectious sharp-toothed crunches, was second nature for them. The Gaming Club very often moved from place to place, only residing in abandoned areas of many buildings for short periods of rest. _

_Each time they did this, at least two people would get in a few hours of sleep while the others remained awake to be on guard and eliminate any zombies that tried to surprise them, then the next pair got their turn to unwind once the two people before them had enough rest. It was a rotating process Mion had suggested, for everyone to have their chance to re-energize before continuing to move on throughout Okinomiya and fend off the attacking undead._

_But then they grew overconfident. The whole plan Mion put into action proceeded so perfectly, and it was laughably easy for them to snake through without any trouble whatsoever, so the group started to take their expedition in a slower pace, seeing that they needn't rush impatiently. A few of them even went so far to believe themselves to be damn-near unstoppable. If they could thwart Takano's schemes to massacre all of Hinamizawa, and then shortly afterwards endure the friggin' zombie apocalypse with hardly any trouble, what could stop them? _

_Hanyuu had been the only one who worried about her comrades being more lax then they should've been, but since she was recognized for being the most apprehensive and easily frightened of the group, her concerns were easily dismissed and countered with reassurance from everyone else. From what Rena heard, even Rika seemed faithful, so sure of their triumphant prospect, which was quite shocking since the last Rena saw of her, the bluenette had been endlessly on edge from the occuring zombies attacks._

_No one realized how the potent amount of zombies were sprouting in dangerous numbers until it blew up right in their faces. It had happened on the third when they made it to the far end of Okinomiya and were just about ready to depart out the town._

_The sheer quantity of rampaging zombies proved too strong for the Gaming Club to manage. Somehow at one point, all of them were forced individually out of their amalgamated group, and then sent dispersed in the thick of the crowding undead. Keiichi and the Sonozaki twins had been swift to act defensively on their own. And Rika's impressive agility, not to mention her small stature, helped her well in avoiding the hands of the incoming zombies by sneaking through small openings of the crowd and dashing off as fast as she could to find a safe spot. _

_Hanyuu was the most unfortunate. The lilac-haired girl wasn't one to be a defensive fighter, nor someone who could make an agile retreat by herself. She depended too much on her friends for protection, so much so that the child stood tense and froze immediately after being separated. _

_So when the coalescied zombies made their move on her, the only feeble resistance Hanyuu put up were blood-curdling screams that transitioned slowly into choking gurgles. Unhinged voices from the moaning zombies emanated alongside the chomps and chams of flesh and the squishy pops of crimson muscle. Loudest of all was Hanyuu's terrorized screams, which gradually subsided away in a fading progress as the zombies continued to eat off the lavender-haired girl._

_Rika heard the strident cries of her relative. She was the first to have discovered the gruesome sight of several zombies grouping together in one spot to feast upon Hanyuu, and, she had also been the first to break down into tears as a response to the dreadful revelation. _

_As for the teenagers, they were all aware of what transpired with Hanyuu. Keiichi and Mion both felt similar urges to mourn deeply for their lost friend, but thankfully, they managed to suppress their emotions. They knew it wasn't the right time to grieve, especially since they were on the thin edge of falling into the same peril Hanyuu went through. Shion had inwardly experienced a brief pang of sadness - lasting only seconds before the pain made its disappearance, though from an external appearance, no signs of sad emotion were made apparent from her visage._

_Poor Rika grieved profoundly, her buckled knees collapsing as she used her hands to mask the swelling eyes that glistened in sorrow and produced rolling tears trickling as a translucent thin river down the rondures of her puffy cheeks. She no longer cared for her surroundings. The blue-haired girl had been so preoccupied in her distress that she left herself wide-open for the zombies to attack._

_Fortunately, Mion hadn't been very far from the sobbing Furude, and her perceptive observation skills helped her to notice the zombies preparing themselves to commence their feast upon their next victim. The leader of the club made great haste and rushed over to Rika, before shooting down the undead assailants with her dual pistols and scooping up the bluenette in her arms as she ran over to her sister and Keiichi._

_By the time Keiichi and Shion finally killed off the mass living corpses blocking their way, Mion successfully reunited with the two teens. She entrusted Keiichi with Rika, placing the hicing, weeping child in his hands, and ordered them to retreat. Both her subordinates, thankfully, were compliant and chose to follow her instructions without any lapse of hesistation. _

_Shion took the lead, snatching Keiichi's baseball bat off his hands (one Satoshi lent to the brown-haired boy before he left with the others) to swing aside any blocking zombies ahead. For Keiichi, he stayed close behind Shion, cradling the small form of a whimpering Rika in his arms. Mion was farther back from Keiichi in a dangerously far distance..._

[-x-]

Rena instinctively noted the sudden grimace etching on Shion's blanched visage right after she finished the part regarding her older twin half. It was then the observant russet-haired girl realized, something had went wrong. As if to prove Rena's point, Shion slumped her shoulders in dejection and sighed poignantly.

The green-haired girl cast her melancholic, lifeless emerald eyes below at her feet, sweat profusely rolling down her temples as she fell silent. It seemed Shion was hesitant in continuing, and if it were not for the peering curious eyes of fuschia and sky blue from her audience, she probably would have stopped right there. Half a minute passed, and soon, Shion began to resume in her story, starting it off in the worst way possible.

[-x-]

_...Mion was gone._

_Of course, Shion didn't register this immediately, nor did her other two companions who followed from behind. They were either too busy staring at what was situated in front of them as they ran, or had been too busy wallowing over their latest defeat plus Hanyuu's death to keep track of the numbers in their group._

_It was once the remaining members of the club had finally found shelter (a run-down, abandoned old house orginally scheduled to be demolished around the week before the outbreak) through good fortune that they began to notice; the startling absense of another individual amongst their team, a certain member who had been an important figure of the group. _

_The realization sank in easily to the trio. Two of them were used to seeing matching heads of lush-leaf-colored hair and sparkling green-gem eyes whenever they grouped together. Anything different from that would've been abnormal. And Shion was one of the small few who felt closest to the missing person, content to be under that person's prescence like a thick bedsheet snugging over her nubile proportions to keep her warm during the winter's glacial temperature. Losing the comforting aura that enshrouded her in warmth left Shion completely naked, stripped away of what soothed her body tenderly. _

_In turn of Mion's disappearance, Shion felt as if she lost a part of herself._

_Confusion was quick to distort into despair, and the surviving members were then grief-stricken. Shion, though, was inflicted with the vast majority of pain deriving from the unbearable revelation of her sister's demise. Blood was thicker than water after all, and naturally, a sibling's bond was much stronger than a platonic connection._

_Neither person in the group could figure out what exactly had happened to Mion. The conjectures brought forward were varied and ghastly. _

_One possibility could have been that Mion wasn't able to keep up with her comrades, and then had been caught by the chasing gang of zombies as a result. Perhaps the stress of keeping her team alive and dissuaded from breaking apart proved too much for Mion to handle._

_Another theory suggested Mion HADN'T lost her pace, but rather chose to stay behind and handle the zombies while buying her friends time to escape. A noble sacrifice for a noble woman of great prowess as a fearless leader and defensive martial artist._

_Then there was the third, most ambiguous guess. Mion couldn't catch up with the others, but no way did the zombies hunt her down. It could have been possible that she took a detour to an entirely different place separate from her subordinates and was currently waiting out the chaos to subside until it was safe to go out. Keiichi thought of that last theory. He wanted to be optimistic and believed Mion to have survived, simply only cut off from the rest of them, and was trying her best to reunite with them when the time was right. _

_Shion, admittedly, felt tempted to accept Keiichi's hopeful presumption. Though even she wasn't gullible enough to dismiss the slim chances of such a possibility occuring. Her tomboyish twin may have been a prodigy on her own, but she was far from invincible. And with the restless undead searching continuously for "human food" in immense yearn and hunger, Shion couldn't help wonder if Mion had the energy to deal with the zombies AND go out looking for her subordinates at the same time._

_Though the speculations were nothing short of imaginative notions existing only to minimally content their unanswered queries, one thing was certain: no one would run into Mion anytime soon..._

[-x-]

At that moment, Satoko interrupted her surrogate sister. _"What about Rika,"_ she questioned curtly in a tone of concern, dreading the unraveled answer. _"Where was she in all this? How come she isn't here with you?"_

Shion shot a pained look of guilt toward the curious blonde. At first she gave no words, and her eyes darted off to the side nervously. From what Rena saw, it appeared as though the other twin half of Mion was comtemplating whether or not to tell the truth, and so far, Shion seemed extremely hesistent to do so.

In the end, the feminine Sonozaki gave in and begrudgingly replied back the awaited answer to Satoko's question, though not before muttering a sympathetic apology. Her voice was flooded with melancholy, quavering in worry for what reaction was to come from Satoko as she uttered the words that explained Rika's fate.

Poor Satoko wept miserably once Shion finished, falling into the silent, comforting embraces of her brother's cordial arms.

[-x-]

_...A day passed since Mion vanished off the face of the earth. It was hard for the sojourning club to get any sleep in, not with the nerve-racking mystery regarding their leader's unknown status and the deceased Hanyuu's demise drilled in their minds. Though regardless, they managed to get in a decent amount of shut eye._

_Two of them at least._

_Shion was the first to arise groggily from her murky slumber... and, she had been the first to be greeted by the disturbing sight of a lifeless Rika, laid on the ground in an irregular position above a pond of blood. _

_Her amethyst eyes were wide and glassy, lacking the glimmer of life that once gleamed energetically across the irises. Her mouth was slack and agape, revealing strips of blood which trailed beneath her bottom lip in countless thin streams. And her head was laid in limped position on one side, the left cheek bathed idly under the cold, shallow ruby-red pool._

_The most striking facet to Rika's corpse was the lone kitchen knife embedded deep into her neck with its ebony hardwood handle stuck out in a slanted display; how the reflective steel of the blade lost its radiance through the red fluids corrupting and tainting huge portions of its luster image, how the profound abyss from her neck the knife created and covered up retched suppressed abundance of crimson liquid in a gargling manner, pouring into the plash of blood that had formed prior to its discovery._

_Shion placed a hand over her mouth in shock, gulping down the urge to puke. Her nostrils took in the metallic stench that polluted the entire room. The blood looked and smelled fresh, its unholy scent as thick as stuffy hot air in the summer's scorching days. How neither Keiichi nor Shion awoke sooner to the miasma baffled her. From what she deduced, there was no doubt in her mind Rika's death occured very recently, a couple hours earlier at the very least._

_It was a pitiful tragedy for Rika, and the worst part was that Shion could easily imagine why and how it happened, Hanyuu. _

_The loss of her relative, who had been the only blood-related family to her left in the world, stung greatly. Driven to a descension of woe, Rika intended on committing suicide, feeling nothing but hopelessness for the cruel world she lived in. Her plan was simple: wait for everyone to fall asleep, then explore through their temporary stay for any sharp or bladed object, and afterwards use the object in question to plunge down in her neck._

_Poor thing, and she was so young, too. Rika did seem depressed from what Shion saw, though the greenette certainly hadn't expected her depression to escalate into taking away her own life. Then again, she should've seen the suicide coming, Shion considered. To lose a person of your own blood, who wouldn't be driven to such despair? When she called to mind the uncertain fate of her other sibling, who shared the same face as her, Shion related to Rika in that regard._

_And so, another member of their roaming coterie... lost. Hanyuu had fallen first, followed by Mion, and lastly, Rika. Bitter shame coursed through Shion's veins to the heart, sending sharp pangs within the blood-beating organ. That was the third life withered away by her foolishness, piled on her conscience like stacks of bagged rice on top of one another. How much more souls must be unfortunate enough to suffer from her own undoing?_

_Keiichi stirred not too long after Shion started blaming herself, and when he had found Rika's dead body, the brown-haired boy was none too pleased about it either. He silently shed searing hot tears upon discovery, right before screeching an unhinged scream seconds later, moving everywhere in the interim refuge to break apart all the furniture he could get his hands on._

_A third of an hour passed, though the time seemed as if it had meandered for eternity, rather than fly by endlessly for twenty minutes. By then, Keiichi ceased in his sorrowful rampage and slumped against the nearby wall, and Shion still persisted in her self-blame. The two hadn't exchanged words at first, too engulfed in the casualties to utter anything._

_But eventually, one of them decided to break the silence. Keiichi spoke up suddenly in a hoarse whisper, suggesting he and her head back to Hinamizawa. In their current predicament, journeying away from their home was certainly out of the question. As it was, now they were merely a pair of two as opposed to a group of five. And to top it all off, they hadn't completely recovered from the few losses of their team, so if they were to continue venturing out of Okinomiya, it would be a huge risk that could result in a disastrous end for both of them._

_Shion understood what he was saying. True, at that point, she didn't feel like leaving out of Okinomiya, and it was safe to say Keiichi shared her sentiments. With a confirming nod to seal the deal, the duo agreed on making their return to Hinamizawa and reconvene with their other companions who chose to stay behind._

_And so, having in their possession food, water, a worn, metal baseball bat, a stun gun, a sheathed katana from the Sonozaki Manor that Shion kept under her belt for emergencies, and the standard first aid kit, the two remaining survivors of the lamented Gaming Club set off to make their homecoming to their rural home village, Hinamizawa._

[-x-]

Rena fixed a sharp, disapproving gaze at Shion as Satoshi tried to placate his sobbing sister. It was challenging for the auburn-haired girl to resist saying, "I told you so". Her disdain toward Shion gradually resurfaced at an exponential rate. She had just about enough giving an ear to the abhorrent tale of her friends' demise, the deaths in which Mion's sister was to blame.

Opposed to the cool-headed and collected Mion, Shion was usually temperamental and had an ill-tendency to be reckless, sticking to one idea and then executing it without so much a second thought or brainstorming any counter measures against contingencies; almost a whole opposite to Mion if it were not for the similar blood they shared together in relation. Even the typically juvenile Keiichi paled in comparison to that green-haired childish diva.

The redhead snapped herself out of her inward rant and curbed her frustrations before drifting her attention back to Shion, who continued to narrate even as she winced often over Satoko's faint sniveling. Rena hadn't been as engrossed in the story as before, though she did pick up enough pieces of the tale to summarize.

[-x-]

_Keiichi and Shion took the steep slope road back to Hinamizawa on foot. As expected, they were forced into confrontation with the zombies at the asphalt concrete path. Midway amidst the violent brawl, one of the undead individuals got in a lucky shot, biting onto Keiichi's right ankle. The boy didn't have too much trouble shaking off his assailant and battering him down with his weapon, though the infection from the bite posed a serious concern._

_Fortunately by that time, Shion took care of all the zombies who harrassed them and was free to tend to him, though the treatment was hardly a better alternative for Keiichi. Both of them knew well the infected wound couldn't be left unattended for very long, especially since it could likely kill Keiichi - or worse, convert the boy into a zombie- in a short amount of time. And there wasn't a clinic nor doctor around for miles._

_So Shion had to make a drastic decision: either lose another friend for the fourth time, or have said-friend lose his limb. She chose the latter. Using the same katana in hand she found from rummaging through her grandmother's room, Shion delivered several hard swings down the area above Keiichi's knee, and then used the first aid kit to swathe the wound in bandages once the amputation was done. Afterwards, she made the rest of her journey back to Hinamizawa carrying an unconcious Keiichi, who passed out from the racking pain._

_And the rest was history._

[-x-]

When she finished, Shion hung her head down shamefully, averting her eyes away from her audience.

Satoko's crying increased in volume, her sorrowful voice boomed throughout the living room of the Sonozaki manor. As for her brother, though he made no sounds of distress, Satoshi couldn't contain the streaming tears that poignantly cascaded out of his brimming eyes. The blond teenage male continued to keep a firm, consoling hold on his little sister, while trying to maintain composure and not break down.

Rena remained eerily silent. While she did perceive the twinge of sadness prick her heart like a rose's thorns encasing around it in a sickly wrapped package, the russet-haired girl found it easy to brush aside the pain. There was something else that troubled her more.

Why hadn't they listened to her? She had explicitly pointed out the risks of leaving Hinamizawa, with Oyashiro-sama's curse and the extensive regions outside, as well as the number of zombies they nearly knew next to nothing about. Yet, everyone chose to dismiss her words and foolishly go off in the world, endangering themselves in forever-lasting peril. The only saving graces of her friends were Satoshi and Satoko, who both decided wisely to heed her warnings and stay behind.

The deaths of the female Furude duo, the disappearance of Mion, and the amputation of Keiichi's leg... these events were the unkind results of their poorly-made decision, the sprouted pieces of the cruel consequences sown from their volition. From not listening to Rena's suggestion, everyone had stormed off outside of the village with persisting bravado nipping their core being tightly, and only a pair returned in broken spirits with no signs of confidence remaining.

Shion also mentioned another thing, regarding Rika. Apparently, she forgot to include how there had been a sheet of paper right beside the child's corpse. It was placed on the ground at a small distance, not too isolated but far enough to be just a strand of hair away from the pool of blood's reach.

Her dainty hand fished around the back pocket of her sable miniskirt, which gingerly pinched her tight, curvy waist through the set of two, shimmering gold buttons that closed the garment together. Her slender fingers passed by the thick form that was her stun gun. Shion grasped a softer, more thin material, before pulling it out and revealing the sheet of paper made in multiple folds for all to see.

Though the paper was left crumpled in creased wounds and smirched from the dried blood bordering around the edges in a sloppy mess, the handwriting was thankfully legible enough to read off of. To all, the contents of the paper were an egregious sight.

_"Forgive me, everyone,_

_I'm sure it must leave you all distraught to be reading this letter with the knowledge of my death lingering about in your hearts. Believe me when I say each and every single one of you are not held responsible for this tragedy._

_Really, I blame the poor circumstances that sent this world spiraling in never-ending pandemonium. When the undead first made their attack in Hinamizawa, I'll admit - I was a tad fearful of what would happen from there out, since this is the first world where I had been able to relish this once peaceful village with Takano in the way. _

_Thanks to you guys however, I slowly began to genuinely believed all of us, hence why I wanted to leave the village._

_I hadn't realized how careless and blinded I'd been in my behavior until way later on when I couldn't do anything about it. Watching Hanyuu be devoured is something I would never forget, no matter what I do. Losing Mion only made things worse for me. Once again, this is no one's fault, but instead it's mine. I blame myself for not being cautious. Hanyuu (and Rena too when I think more about it) knew of the impending dangers that would have befallen us sooner or later, and I failed to consider her words..."_

There was a back side to the letter. Turning the paper over, Rena and the others read the back page.

_"...but I'm not that upset, not as of now when I finish writing this letter. When I ponder more into this subject, I come into realization that Hanyuu isn't really lost from me forever. In fact, I know somehow she's waiting for me at the other side, and with that in mind, I know what I have to do._

_I'll just have to right my wrongs. This isn't the first time fate challenged me. I had understimated it, believing it wouldn't ever rear its ugly head after the Endless June. And that just means I need to oppose fate again. Do not see this as me abandoning you all, see it as a quest for me to achieve a perfect world where we can all live together in peace. In one of the older worlds, you've all taught me at one point that things were never set in stone and that if we band together, we could have the power to change it._

_That's what I plan to accomplish. With Hanyuu's power and my ambitions, the two of us will traverse through Hinamizawa to Hinamizawa until I regain the happiness we have lost. We will meet up together again in the next world and then the next one after if needed, and we'll fight together against fate as one, I promise you that; and I vow to set things right for you all._

_Please retain your trust in me."_

_-Furude Rika_

A frown crawled its way to Rena's lips. The last two paragraphs caught her attention. From what she had read, Rika made constant references to fate and opposing what predetermined destiny it unshackled. The deceased child also made a habit in alluding the possibility of parallel worlds - that more than one Hinamizawa and other counterparts of themselves existed.

The notion was a curious one, almost like a philosophy even. Rika talked as if she and Hanyuu could "reset" all that went wrong and start over in another world of its own Hinamizawa and people. It certainly seemed that way according to what was written. What did she mean by Hanyuu's power? Was the lilac-haired child capable of abilities grand to supernatural levels, enabling her and Rika to voyage through other worlds?

As a firm believer of Oyashiro-sama, Hinamizawa's great, divine deity, Rena wouldn't put it past Rika or Hanyuu to be involved in such activities.

For the rest of that particular day, Shion turned around, left, and locked herself in her own room, isolating herself from the others. Satoko ended up crying herself to sleep, leaving Satoshi and Rena alone with an unconscious wreck, whose closed, dry eyes lacked the fresh tears from earlier and were colored swollen red around the crevasses of her eyelids. The older brother held his sister close to his chest in a cradling hold as he carried her over to the guest room to retire, though not without throwing a somber glance at Rena, silently bidding her farewell.

In response, Rena returned the gesture with a weak but affirming nod, and her aqua eyes went back to looming over her feet as the _creak_ing sounds of Satoshi's nimble footsteps against the whining wooden floors dissolved from her hearing into nothingness. She would continue to remain unmoved from her sitting position, left alone to ponder more about the recent events that transpired. And sooner or later, she, too, would join the Houjou siblings in need of rest.

Then the next day would roll by.

[-x-]

Rena sighs deeply to herself. It's been five days since Shion and Keiichi both made their return, and twelve days since she and her friends had taken refuge in the Sonozaki grounds. She keeps track of the amount of days that pass; that's all she's been able to do at this point.

Her friends were not faring any better either.

Satoko hasn't been talking - not at all since she found out about what happened to Shion and the others; not a tiny, simple word muttered out of her mouth, and then there was the case of her eyes - once a vibrant red and violet, now a dull, soulless mixture of the two colors that lacked the spark of mischief; it was a far-cry to Satoko's juvenile personality. Rena feels great concern for the aureate-haired child - even now.

As for Satoshi, he was far from better than Satoko in his melancholy. He, too, mourns deeply for the people he cares most about. Though on the plus side, Satoshi at least mutters a simple greeting for every time he and Rena pass by each other, even if he only says "Hi, Rena-san" so quietly and indistinctly.

Shion is the most trouble for Rena. She shoots nasty glares at the russet brunette and goes so far to make a subtle grunt under her breath. It's safe to surmise that Shion isn't fond of her for being in the right about how foolish their plan was, even despite how Rena had been concerned rather than smug about it.

Not one to feel threatened by such immature displays of contempt, Rena is usually quick to counter the Sonozaki girl's venomous scowls with a defiant frown. The auburn-haired girl finds Shion more annoying than scary to deal with, and sometimes she wonders to herself how she had managed to endure her shrewd, ill-tempered behavior for so long. Thankfully, Shion holds a penchant to stay isolated in her own room for most of her time, so it's only a sporadic occurrence when Rena has to bear seeing the resentful appearance of Mion's twin.

Regarding Keiichi, he is Rena's biggest worry. The brunt-haired boy still remains bedridden, motionless in his tendril bindings of deep sleep. His closed eyes have a habit of squeezing tightly together, and his whole body twitches as he does so, but other than those two instances, nothing else seems to elicit any signs of him awaking. From what Rena could see, Keiichi wouldn't arise from his bed anytime soon. All she can do is hope his condition improves.

While adding up every drifting day that flies by, Rena steps outside every so often and meanders around the village to pass the time, moving alongside the _whooshing_ air and drifting leaves that either remain attached to the tree branches or litter all over the grounds. She does come across the occasional zombie passerby - most who always greet her with an attempted assault for her brains. Fortunately, neither of their attacks turn out successful.

Rena loosens her tense form marginally upon seeing the familiar mansion from afar that's barricaded through a fancy, giant wooden gate. Smooth stone walls stretch across from each side of the entrance. If she chooses to squint hard enough with her twenty-twenty vision, she'd be able to see a small plaque placed on one of the timber pillars, craved on it are two kanji symbols that make out the words, "_Sonozaki Estate_".

No doubt is Rena getting close back to refuge. Good, she's just about finished wandering outside for the day. She needed to check and see how Keiichi's doing at the moment, anyway.

Though the redhead can't just use the entrance to go in; Satoko's traps - made through various explosives with permission from Shion and Mion - were set all over the front of the mansion, and triggering them off was the last thing she wanted to do. She would have to take a detour around (a secret entrance made in case someone in the group needed to leave and/or head back into the manor) in order to get inside.

Rena veers to her right wing and darts into the woods, swiftly shifting through the various trees without so much as colliding into them. It was best to divert away from the entrance at the earliest moment when she was at a fair distance, less chance of setting off any alarms that way.

The trees' dull, bushy foliage cast a strong shadow over Rena, engulfing her moving form in a _swishing_ silhouette of darkness that hauled the auburn-haired girl away from the pale lights of the empty, grey skies, whose fast steps force the many lying leaves beneath her feet to _crunch_ upon getting trampled on. From a third point perspective, Rena could only be seen as a speeding blur that no mere naked eye can catch so easily.

As she continues to move through the forest, Rena makes note of the day that would soon pass. Seventeen. That was the number as of today; seventeen days since the start of the zombie attack in Hinamizawa, and the eighteen day would soon come by. But Rena is prepared for the arrival of that day. She always expects the next day, and the day after that, then following by the day after that day.

Although the chances of her current situation changing for the better are slim, Rena tries to be as hopeful as can be and hope for good fortune to come. Sadly, she also accepts the fact that such a thing would not occur very soon. So until it was that time, Rena waits patiently and endures the unfortunate set of circumstances she's in. There's not much to do to pass time, though, not with the lack of safety and resources available, not to mention the lurking zombies all over.

So what better way... than to count the days?

[-x-]

**A/N II: Honestly, I feel conflicted with how this one-shot turned out. The lack of dialogue is a huge factor, though honestly, I thought this piece would've been better without it. I'm have a better time writing imagery than dialogue anyway. Hope this didn't turn out disappointing though. That'd be a shame if it did.**

**Regardless, I still hold some pride into this story, so that's something!**

**Sorry if you don't like the origins to the Higurashi zombie apocalypse. I'll admit, it does sound a tad bullshit with the chemicals turning people into zombie and all, forgive me. I tried to make it work as much as possible.**

**At first, I planned on having Dr. Irie perform a few experiments to create the cure for the Hinamizawa Syndrome, which would've lead to it not only failing, but instead result in the creation of zombies via deteriorating of the human brain.**

**Then I thought that if I went in that direction, the gang would not have lasted very long since the rise of zombies with be set in their home and they wouldn't have the time to react, kinda like how the villagers died in the Great Hinamizawa Disaster when situated at the school, only instead with zombies rather than poison gases. So it was better that the zombies originated from another city rather than Hinamizawa.**

**Plus, I started having second thoughts and ultimately decided I wanted the outbreak to originate from something which **_**didn't**_** involve the Hinamizawa Syndrome as a major factor, though I did leave a subtle touch how the disease was able to repel the pollution away and prevent the villagers from getting infected. Not really sure if it can really work that way, though then again, Hinamizawa Syndrome is made-up so I think I can get away with it.**

[-x-]

**Notes:**

**[1]** It was hard for me to do my research on the geography in _Higuarashi_, though from what I understand in the wiki, Hinamizawa and Okinomiya (which are a steep slope apart from each other) are two of several small districts of Shishibone City, which is located next to Giru as an snowfall area somewhere in an inland nearby the Sea of Japan.

Sorry if things aren't a bit clear; this is really a fictional setting for _Higurashi_, so there aren't many sources available to find information off of. And I also apologize if the amount of time Shion and the others spend travelling through Okinomiya seemed off. I figured that by going on foot, it would take them a while, not to mention I kinda assumed Okinomiya was fairly big with a good amount of population so there's that too. I don't know, the geography for Hinamizawa is a bit murky, and there's absolutely nothing for Okinomiya that I could find.

Once again, sincerest apologizes.

**[2]** In Hinamizawa, there was a big misconception over who Oyashiro-sama really was. Most people believed the deity to be male and vengeful, though such a belief was false with Hanyuu, who was Oyashiro-sama but instead female and kind. Rena was one of the few who knew about the guardian deity's gender, though sadly, she wasn't aware of how benign Oyashiro-sama (or rather Hanyuu) was.


	5. INTERMISSION I

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**STORY ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AUGUST 4, 2019**

[-x-]

_Summary: Bernkastel, the coalesce result of the Endless June's countless, deceased Rikas, makes her appearance and displays the existing fragments, as well as the blank kakeras yet to concoct its story. She asks of you, "What tales - from past, present, or future - do you desire to read?" _

_Pairing(s): N/A_

_Rated: K+_

[-x-]

**4\. INTERMISSION I**

**...**

You find yourself in a strange place you're absolutely sure have never set foot into before. Your eyes scan inquisitively through the entire area. The longer you look around, the more puzzled you get.

Everything appears as a dark void, with faint violet hues barely illuminating the area in a cloudy fog. The radiance is rather dim and far too weak to emanate heat, yet you aren't bothered by the frightening absence of high temperature. In fact, you don't seem to perceive any sort of heat nor coolness - or even fresh air sauntering by. To you, that's strange because you feel yourself breathing. How is it you're able to breath without oxygen here?

You continue to observe more of the place. There appears to be a smorgasbord of long, rough-edged, crystal-like prisms - colors similar to the periwinkle mist - floating around aimlessly. It's extremely difficult for you to make out the details from afar, especially through the shrouding darkness, so you decide to approach the nearest prism ahead. Through unknown means, you cannot walk, but instead _levitate_ since there is no ground for your feet to step on.

At first, you have trouble moving around. Your legs swing a tad too quickly, and there were instances where you felt yourself slip by accident. But eventually, you manage to adjust and drift comfortably, and you can now trend towards the floating object in front. You feel as if _you're_ the breeze wafting through your surroundings.

Your hands reach out to grab the crystal. The attempt had been successful. Once you retrieve the item in question, you envelop it in your own coupling hands. Your fingers rub against the many smooth and solid faces of the crystal, and your palms shift in discomfort against the material. As you push your hands forward away from you slightly, you bring the crystal up to your face for closer inspection. You feel surprised at what you see.

Images project from the prism's various faces, switching places with each other on the screens like a kaleidoscope.

Examining the many changing visuals displayed at once, despite the constant transitions, you make note of what you see: the setting of a small village from a bird's eye view; the spectacle of a brown-haired, teenage boy holding a metal baseball bat by his shoulder as he looms over the unmoving form of a mutilated body - one belonging to an older man with a small, ash-blond afro who remains grotesquely bludgeoned, his limbs distort in a nauseating disfigurement and his face (at least whatever you make out of it from the missing teeth and buldging eyes) is left frozen in pure, unadulterated terror.

The last image you discern is the portrait-like view of a young gold-haired girl sporting a tattered green dress with a yellow tie and a black hairband on her head, looking no older than the tender age of eleven. When you first look at her, you can't help but feel you know her. Something about that child has an itch bugging the back of your mind, frantically scolding how you should know her. But alas, you can't remember and you go back to looking over the display.

You can't help yourself to observe how... miserable she appears. Thin cuts jag all over her clothing. Dark bruises - both late and recent - splotch over her petite figure in spots from head to toe. A dispirited, glum expression disrupts her innocent, silky face, and her cheeks swell up queasily, ruining its perfect rondures as they turn an unhealthy, mixed shade of light pink and purple.

What leaves you most appalled about the little girl is the look in her reddish-magenta eyes; not a trace of gleam shines anywhere from the irises. Her lusterless optics come off empty, _lifeless_ even. The spine-chilling sight strikes a sharp pang to your heart. If she wasn't jerking every so often, you'd assume she was dead.

Eventually, you feel yourself unable to bear watching the crystal any longer, so you hurl it frontwards with as much force as you muster. You close your eyes tightly, keeping them hidden from view. Then you ask yourself just what was going on, and why were you involved in this madness.

"My, my, my, just what do we have here? An uninvited guest?" a female voice speaks up suddenly, her tone monotonous. Your ears detect a hint of annoyance in her voice.

You open your eyes upon hearing the first and only sound that rudely invites itself into your ears since your arrival to the enigmatic realm of prisms. Immediately, you feel your heart jump when you see a young female individual, her whole appearance having a confusing depiction between that of a child and an early teenager.

The girl has midnight-blue hair falling limply past her narrow shoulders. She adorns a black-and-white Gothic Lolita dress, the center part of it embellished with a large bow that matches her hair color flawlessly. Her fancy, white long-sleeves dangle about as they hide the slim arms that was inside. Below, her slender legs are exposed modestly, with dark-violetish Mary Jane shoes and knee-length white socks donning over her small feet. The most curious feature to her outward form was the black cat tail poking out from the hem of her dress, a blue ribbon tied around it.

Your jaw slacks, making a small 'o' shape. You are left agape at the wagging tail.

"I hope you know when a cat's tail wags, it shows that they are irritated. Gawking over my own like a dumbstruck idiot isn't helping. I suggest you quit making a fool out of yourself," the bluenette scoffs and sends a sharp glare at you. "Unless you would like me to come over there and slash off that tongue of yours."

You shake off your surprise once you register her last statement, before you hastily apologize to the girl. You very much love your tongue and would greatly appreciate it if she didn't cut it off.

? keeps her frown plastered on her face, her unblinking, vacant violet eyes drilling right through your own and sending chills down your bones. "Apology denied. I give no mercy to anyone. No, what I really want from you is an explanation - an answer to how you managed to break into my home."

Huh? You express your confusion to the questioning girl with a tilt of your head. You consider asking if this strange place really was her home, but decide against it. Provoking this person further was the last thing you want to do. Instead, you try and gingerly placate her by telling her you didn't mean to intrude; that you were sent here mysteriously with no memory as to how such a thing occurred, and you were just as lost as she was.

Though ?'s hime-cut bangs conceal parts of her brows, you can see them furrow in displeasure. Seems your explanation wasn't good enough to leave her satisfied. "Oh, please, your lies couldn't possibly smell anymore unconvincing than Lambda leaving me alone and giving up on her stalking escapades."

Her arms cross over her chest. She leans her face towards you with that same unchanging glower as she hisses, "You are nothing more than a mere spectator turned interloper - an unimportant... observing _neanderthal_ who has no say in any matters."

Harsh. Seems somebody woke up at the wrong side of the bed.

"This doesn't make any sense. You are only meant to watch over the endless tales of my pieces that live their lives in natural course. You were never supposed to make your way into the Sea of Kakera," ? grumbles aloud.

You blink at her blankly. Tales? Pieces? Sea of Kakera? All the things this person brings up arouse a dubious feeling. You don't understand what she means by the tales of pieces living their own lives. What did "pieces" mean to her? And hold on - did she say you were in the _Sea of Kakera_?! You feel like you've heard of that three-worded term before; it certainly has a familiar ring to it. Wasn't it supposed to be an altered state of reality, filled with numerous worlds?

"Hmm... so you have some knowledge of this realm," muses ? as you voice your befuddlement to her. "Yet you are thrown out of the loop when I make mention of my pieces. Such a curious thing, you are."

? shakes her head and sighs, "This is all so new to me. No one other than Lambda, Auaurora, and a couple others has ever encroached this place before. And aside from Ushiromiya Battler that one time, I don't recall escorting you here either."

The lolita's frown mitigates slightly. She shrugs as you see her beginning to wear a more indifferent expression. "Oh well, that's a mystery I don't have any intention in solving. I do suppose our meeting together was inevitable, so really, I should've expected this. I only wish there was some kind of warning to inform me of your arrival, it'd be less irritating that way."

You're unsure how to react at her sudden change in mood.

Ignoring your frozen state, ? uses the tips of her fingers to grab the hems of her dress, raising them past her thighs just a tad as she bows to you respectfully. "I will introduce myself, I am Bernkastel, Witch of Miracles, and for now, I shall be your undisputed tutelage. You will do your best not to test my gifts; you receive what amount is given and nothing more. Miracles come in unexpected turn of events and aren't meant to be tempted, mind you."

Bernkastel straightens her posture and hides away both her hands behind her back. She sternly gazes at you. "Since you're already well-informed of the Sea of Kakera, I will first explain to you its contents. Can you see the floating prisms circulating around us?"

All the prisms she allude to start glowing a water-like blue that flicker like a light bulb on death's door. You glimpse around at them briefly before you turn back to Bernkastel and nod.

"Good, very good," Bernkastel approves. "True to what you know about this place, it holds these very fragments - or _kakeras_ as I prefer to call them. All the kakeras together represent infinite worlds filled with innumberable possibilities. Think of them like books; each and every one of them holds a story with its set of characters, circumstances, conflicts, and so on."

The Witch of Miracles reveals her closed right and left hands for you to see. She unballs her fists. Right when she does, a huddle of glowing, golden butterflies burst out from the palms of her hands in materialization. The butterflies do not _thrum_, though their jaunty wings _flutter_ louder than normal as a thunderclap, which makes you flinch at the sudden loud volume. The winged, aureate insects spiral around upward in a small-but-blustery tornado. As they begin to subside into nothingness seconds after their introduction, you notice two radiating objects floating separately on each hand.

Above the left palm belonging to Bernkastel, you see the familar appearance of a prism gleaming a healthy azure color as beautiful as the seas in a sunny, summer beach. You hover a tad closer to your hostess to inspect the fragment.

From what your eyes catch in its sight, you can make out glimpses of images - its themes all centered around a particular family eating dinner together and chatting amongst themselves at the table. There was the father, who you easily recognize as the same boy with the baseball bat you saw in that one kakera but older. Next was the youngest of that family, a sixteen-year-old girl with long black hair and teal highlights. Lastly, there was the final member, the blue-haired mother who... looked exactly like Bernkastel! Down from the hairstyle to the face and eyes, but more physically developed and less child-like. **[1]**

You avert your attention away from the peaceful family.

Then there was the second prism, which - unlike the rest of the other kakeras - shine a faint blood-red, its core rotting in a tiny, blackening void. You see a rather disturbing display. You discover the setting of a classroom, filled with messy piles of young and old denizens stacking on top of one another like a heap of hay. All those people have dilated eyes broadened to where it looked like it would fall off of the sockets, and thick streams of slob outpour from their mouths in concerning amounts.

While your eyes are glued to the sickening sight, Bernkastel continues inconsiderably, "So you see, some kakeras can have a story where people live happily ever after," she raises the blue kakera in hand, whose core radiates a bright white, to show her example. "While there are others that conclude more tragically, and perhaps more ghastly than more."

Bernkastel lifts up the red, darker kakera while lowering the brighter, opposite counterpart akin to a weight scale. "Unlike the kakeras with happy endings, however, the ones with a much painful and more heart-breaking close tend to end more slowly, which as a result makes the fragment have a lagging process of changing color. Once the bad conclusion reaches will the kakera completely change in color."

You remember that one fragment of the melancholic blonde and the mutilated old man you threw far, far away. It should go without saying that kakera had a somber tale to go by, yet the color of the prism remains the same as the others. Perhaps, according to Bernkastel's teachings, the story had yet to conclude?

The blue-haired lolita points behind at the kakera you tossed away, "Do you see that fragment over there? Yes, you do, I'm sure. That lone kakera is one I dub, _"Tatarigoroshi-hen"_. To put it in summary, _Tatarigoroshi-hen_ delves in the account of an orphan child who's picked up by her abusive uncle. The longer she stays with him, the more and more of her sanity slips away as her uncle beats her constantly. This worries her friends profoundly. And eventually, one of them decides to take action by killing the uncle in order to save the girl. It hasn't concluded yet, though from my knowledge of its other older counterparts, I'll tell you right now that kakera won't end pleasantly."

A grimace masks your face. You did expect the bitter prospect of that kakera to be reality, though from how Bernkastel exposes it, you feel even more depressed and you feel a sense of pity for the abused child.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention, a few of the kakeras out here can be parallel to certain worlds in terms of the setting, plot, characters, et cetera. Just with a few minor, major differences here and there," adds Bernkastel helpfully. "Once again, the newer copy of _Tatarigoroshi-hen_ serves a perfect example."

You watch the Witch of Miracles loosely raise a hand as she snaps her fingers. The same butterflies you have seen before make their return in a bigger group, swirling in a large golden twister. As the glowing insects begin to fade away while they fly above, you discover the sight of a ritzy crystalline throne shining a lurid sea-colored phosphorescence. The radiant light emitting from the sharp crystal tips jutting from the top of the seating is a sight for sore eyes.

Bernkastel perches on the royal crystal seat she conjured up, lounging herself back marginally as she stacks one leg on top of the other and sets her arms down on the smooth, flat-surfaced armrests. The bluenette appears comfortable despite the chair's ice-stiff appearance. "Now then, let's move on to canvass about the characters you'll see often in all these fragments."

She pauses in her words for a second, then opens her mouth again to resume, "Unfortunately, the characters are kept limited in all kakeras for you, reason being myopic simplicity's sake, so you are privileged access to see only the pieces that are, or have been, affiliated solely with the vast variants of the _Higurashi_ series."

You tilt your head to the side and show Bernkastel your quizzical disposition. You heard her ramble on about "pieces" again, and it piques your curiosity. As for "_Higurashi_ series", that leaves you confused too.

"Ah, that's right, you don't understand what I'm talking about when I say, "pieces". Very well then, I will be kind enough to shed some light to that word," Bernkastel does an intake before exhaling lightly, "You see, _pieces_ are a very interesting term. The word is used here to refer to the characters that make an appearance in the fragment - because all those mortals, to me, are chess pieces in a chessboard."

The Witch of Miracles continues explaining, "These chess pieces have been a part of a twisted game at one point - a life-costing game that lasted a ghastly century. I was one of the players, and my opponent was a ruthless, soulless witch who pre-determined my crafted fate in cruel certainty. Formerly, I took the identity of Rika Furude, a young mortal who was blessed to enter this realm like you as she pleases."

When Bernkastel utters the name, Rika Furude, you feel a sharp pain inflict upon the internal region of your mind. You wince, and you even clutch your head in attempt to ease the pounding migraine. As you do so, however, unknown memories you didn't know you had start rushing over to you like moths to a flame.

You start to know more about Rika Furude - a small, ten-year-old, Bernkastel-lookalike maiden who voyages the expansive ocean of fragments in search of a world she could live peacefully in. It turns out, from probing more about this person, that Rika had a partner to assist her in her goal, a child named Hanyuu Furude, who is also known as Oyashiro-sama, the deity of Hinamizawa - Rika's home village. Hanyuu has the power to realize kakeras and manipulate time within those crafted worlds, powers that help her relative travel through the fragments.

Also, the identities of the brown-haired baseball boy and golden-haired orphan are now apparent. You know fully well who those two people are - Keiichi Maebara and Satoko Houjou respectively, both well-acquainted friends of Rika Furude.

And then there is one other thing to your evocation, a stupefying piece of information concerning Bernkastel's identity. You boldly point a finger at Bernkastel before announcing the knowledge you have of her aloud.

The priceless countenance on Bernkastel's face is one that catches you off-guard (and also what has you curbing an amused chuckle). Her eyes open as wide as saucers and her mouth gapes down to form a tiny oval, producing a strangled sound that seemed like a vocal display of surprise.

"You... You know all that now?" Bernkastel exclaims in what little remaining composure she could bind together.

She studies you critically from head-to-toe in a brief manner, checking to unearth anything strange from you that could explain your sudden burst of knowledge. "What a confounding discovery this is. While I assumed you would gain _some_ understanding of my teachings, I never believed you to learn so much in short time, and even about me as well. I clearly underestimated you."

Bernkastel sits up straighter and clears her throat as her face becomes emotionless again. "Anyway, yes, I was Rika, and vise versa at one point. Both of us used to share a single body and soul together - struggling alongside Hanyuu Furude through the never-ending, time-looping prison I dub the Endless June to achieve our perfect world of Hinamizawa."

A thick frown spilled all over her poker expression. "But our suffering was a long one, and the more times Rika died, the more lost souls from every world she was killed in began to manifest within us, all bundled in the bindings of despair and defeatist sentiments. Eventually, the emotions of lament were too much for our soul to handle, and Rika and I were forced to split in two from the pressure."

When Bernkastel falls silent, you wait for her to start again, intrigued to hear more.

"Rika was still the same, powerless little girl who fought fate as a mortal associated with the supernatural. But for the union of innumerous dead Rikas bottled in one, the result of stirring misery that exponentially grew the longer our chess-like game lasted, and the epitome of an aged, tortured woman who cared only about moving on to the other side? Well, that manifestation... was me," states Bernkastel, her string of words utters with a plain tone.

The Witch of Miracles wears a wry smile. "Ironic, isn't it? Rika was supposed to be a sweet little girl, and I was supposed to be Rika. Now look at me; I'm not Rika, and I'm now a bitter girl who lost the glee and high-spirits that defined her character."

You feel deep pity for Bernkastel, and you were about to say a few comforting words to her, but...

"Keep your sympathy, I have no need for it. I accepted who I was forced to be a long time ago," she raises a hand to stop you from proceeding. The lolita places it down to her armrest. "Moving on, I did indeed want to give up, but my other half was insistent on trying again and again, and I knew I couldn't abandon her, so I still tried to help her in any way I could, even if my efforts were somewhat minimal."

Bernkastel closes her eyes and releases a sigh that you believe is relief. "About a century later, Rika and I finally defeated fate. We had teamed up with our other friends from the village, and together, all of us won the chess game against our opponent and _her_ set of chess pieces. Because of this, Rika and Hanyuu were free to live a normal life along with our companions, who they, too, relished the spoils of war. No more do they have to play the twisted board game that once chained their lives; now all of them can unwind and live as former chess pieces."

But what of Bernkastel? What destiny was she rewarded with for succeeding, you wonder. You pipe up and inquire Bernkastel of this matter.

"...you wish to know what I have done afterwards?" Bernkastel asks incredulously. She's undoubtedly shell-shocked from your curiosity. Though in spite of that, the bluenette snaps out of her stupor before giggling, "Aren't you the considerate type? If I had at least an ounce of empathy left from my human half, I'd feel touched."

The gothic-clad lolita entwines her fingers together and directs her hands to veil over her chest in a dome-like fashion, her face plastered with a soft look that's difficult to determine whether or not it was one of happiness. "Good of you to ask, actually. I was just about to discuss one other thing concerning the kakeras before we wrap up this conversation, so answering this inquiry is a nice start to go by."

You feel yourself brimming in anticipation to hear Bernkastel's side of the story.

"Quite simple, really. I decided to be a voyager of the Sea of Kakera and the other realms beyond," begins Bernkastel. "Part of me wanted to stay by Rika and Hanyuu's side, but, well, when you consider my status as an immortal witch of great magic, it'd be awkward for me to be amongst creatures who are not to comprehend the otherworldly. But I still do pay a visit to my counterpart and Hanyuu every once in a while, so don't fret if it sounds as if I'm alone."

She wiggles faintly against her crystalline throne as she undoes the crossing of her legs, allowing them to shuffle together. "To me, it's not so bad of a lifestyle. Granted, my attempts to find something fun to help sedate my boredom turn out seldom, but on the off chance I do stumble upon a fastinating subject during my intinerary, that's when it's worth the trouble. To play other chess games of new pieces to use or go against through whatever story and other conditions are set for players like me... that is what I deem entertaining."

Part of you wants to remark about the blatant cruelty of her last statement, but you swallow the feeling. You're already getting on her good side; it's best not to change that.

"As for the other thing I tend to indulge in, I dawdle about here in this very realm. I do enjoy a fascinating story to read over, and these hovering fragments that pass by are perfect tools to help meet my speed. I'm also a poet of impactful literature, but that's another thing. Now, I want you to look down where my hands are," the blue-haired witch glances down at her hands.

You do as you're told. Your eyes fix on the cupped hands covering her center region. You are then transfixed when snowy light comes into existance suddenly, with a measly few arrays from its form peering out of the openings of Bernkastel's hands.

Then Bernkastel hauls away her hands from where her heart resided within, and you lift an arm over your strained eyes to prevent going blind. You feel the gliding touch of the light burn your skin weakly. Eventually, the singeing radiance dwindles and vanishes completely, lifting off the heat from your skin. You lower your arm and direct your eyes to Bernkastel.

Your hostess now has a strange object floating above the palms of her cupped hands, which have been pulled away from her chest and stretched out forward for you to view keenly. Your eyes discern the familiar shape of a prism very much like the others, though the object had an interesting aspect appearance-wise that make it different from all its other relatives.

The new kakera is blank, devoid of any blinding radiance or dim darkness! It has a translucent outward form you could barely see through. No images are displayed from it, instead, a faint, foggy ice white covers the entire geometric figure.

"This is a delightful one to discuss," Bernkastel starts as she scrutinizes the void fragment. "In the beginning where Hanyuu was making more and more kakeras for Rika to venture through, this place never had the chance to develop on its own since Hanyuu constantly manipulated the distortions here to produce more worlds. The Sea of Kakera always had a mind of its own - storing in all the kakeras, and managing them so none is destroyed while my counterpart inhabits one of the fragments."

She goes on further, "But, now that my other half has triumphed and is able to live in a world without fear of murder from our opponent, she and Hanyuu have no need to use this realm anymore, thus allowing the Sea of Kakera to finally develop naturally. As a result of aging in progression, the endless void here can now realize new-born worlds _and_ write out the story on its own."

You gasp in shock at the revelation.

Bernkastel wasn't done. "There's more. No longer am I bound of restrictions by the chess game that has long since finished. Like the realm itself, I too carry the ability to create a fragment I see fit to my interests!"

Your eyes fix at Bernkastel in awe, beaming in elation through its prancing sparkles of life. You cheer to the blue-haired witch how amazing the news is.

"I figured you'd be pleased. If you had any other reaction, then I'd be worried," chuckles Bernkastel. She closes her glassy eyes blissfully and states, "This place is filled with wonders I am proud to call as my home; the ocean of worlds which used to serve as a station to countless battlefields is now akin to that of an undisturbed library where I happily indulge in told and untold tales of various pieces. And I have both Rika and Hanyuu to thank for that. Without them, I would never have receieved this gift."

The lips belonging to Bernkastel distorts its corners that make it curve upward, and when it finishes, you widen your eyes. She is actually smiling, and in an escstatic way too! Never have you ever seen your hostess present herself so blithely until now. You do recall a few instances when she smiles, but in those times, her lips upraise marginally to where it seemed preserved. Here, she shows a more light-hearted, ebullient grin.

"I won't lie, I carry bonafide pleasure to converse with you today. It feels great to have a chat with someone who isn't Rika or Hanyuu. No offense to either of them, of course, just that it seems depressing having only those two to contact, and you're a nice change to that. Also as a plus, you aren't a nuisance like Lambdadelta, so be proud of that," Bernkastel praises kindly.

You stroke the back of your neck as a tinge of rosy-red deepens over your modest disposition.

Bernkastel glances up and strokes her chin in thought. "But still, I am quite curious as to how you are so suddenly well-informed of me and my pieces. I know you've been observing the other worlds for some time, and surely you must have learned from what you observed, yet you manage to understand so much in such short time. Hmm, seems entering the Sea of Kakera from whatever means has caused your collection of those memories to be blocked temporarily, only for them to make a superb return shortly after. What a fascinating mystery to look into..."

She shakes her head.

"Actually, never mind. Enough talk. I say it's about time we proceed to our close," the Witch of Miracles pushes her palms at you, forcing the blank kakera to float towards you. "Take the kakera in your hands, right now."

Complying, you stretch both hands upfront and the empty fragment stops its airborne maunder to linger above the joined palms of your cupped hands upon reaching its destination. Suddenly, light from the kakera's core begins to emerge gradually as a series of spiked rainbows.

"To express my gratitude, I bestow upon you the gift to craft a story of your own for these vacant pieces, starting with that very kakera given from me," Bernkastel contributes verbally and then advises, "Exploit your blooming creativity to its maximum and let nothing hold your imagination back. If you ever have trouble contriving an idea for a story, as yourself what tales - from past, present, or future - you desire to read. Be sure to extend your thanks to my mortal half and Hanyuu when you can, too. "

At that moment, the seven radiant colors of the rainbow start spiralling around your vision, causing it to ripple slowly. You can tell the hues are trying to suck you inside the kakera like a vacuum, and you can see the contents - the setting, characters, and details - of that very prism in your hands become reality in a snail's pace.

Your blue-haired hostess then comments, "Oh, a couple more things to add, this won't be the last time we see each other. We will cross paths again, that's guaranteed for sure. So expect a visit to or from me later on in the future. But do not anticipate it anytime soon, the interactions between us will occur scarcely..."

"...now the last thing. Here is a token of good luck," Bernkastel squeezes her eyes shut, grins broadly, and leans her head to her right wing. She cheers in a chirpy voice, "Nipaahhh~!"

Though your vision is disoriented, your sancrosanct mind gets the vivid imagery of a jovial Bernkastel beaming happily at you. You smile back and giggle with a waving gesture.

Bernkastel clears her throat before returning to her usual, poker countenance. "Let's never speak of what I just did. Ever. Now, I bid you farewell. Best wishes!"

The rippling waves twisting around your vision grow stronger and stronger, and that is when you completely lose your grip on your senses. You do not detect the surroundings of the Sea of Kakera, nor the petite form of Bernkastel. All that loiters in your view is the circling pattern of the bright rainbow, whose family of seven colors dissolve into a natural white. Eventually, the white hue makes a fading transition, and you now observe the creation of the kakera you held in your hands before.

[-x-]

**A/N: Okay, so first thing's first - Hanyuu's birthday. It was on August 1st, which passed about a few days ago, so Happy Belated-Birthday, Hanyuu Furude~! Au, au! :)**

**Soo... talking about this chapter, you get to have a lovely chat with Bernkastel, Rika's other, more cynical counterpart. I know she's from the **_Umineko_ **cast, but since she originated from the end of the final arc in **_Higurashi,_ **I think it makes sense to include her here in this collection of one-shots. Hope she didn't seem out-of-character; most of her appearances are from** _Umineko,_ **and that series is a huge mindfuck for me, so I went on a whim and tried portraying Bernkastel, using what little vague memory I have of her.**

**This was also a good way to test out the second POV (with the you and your pronouns). I thought it would have been pretty neat for you guys to "interact" with Bernkastel. The result of my test...? Well, it's definitely different from the third person perspective I'm used to, but it isn't too much trouble. I will still stick to third POV a big majority of the time though.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed. If you want to leave your input here, feel welcome. Just don't flame me, please. Getting insulted and berated isn't a pleasant experience I wanna go through. X_X**

**See you next time~!**

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**Note:**

**[1]** This is a callback to one of the one-shots I've written for this story, it was the first special I composed: the _2019/Reiwa 1 Watanagashi Festival_. It shows Keiichi and Rika as a married couple, and spending time together with their single teenage daughter, Mirai Furude - who is one out of the first two OCs I have ever made.


	6. Interesting Inquiries

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**Author's Note: This one-shot's going to be something a little different from the other pieces I've written, in terms of pairing that is. The pairing for this story is Yuri (better know as Lesbian), and it's comprised of two girls you'd never imagine would get shipped together: Mion and Rika. Quite the surprise, huh? It's a hit or miss on this one; either you all are gonna hate me, or you all will love me for this. Either way, I can't help myself! These two don't get any attention together at all, and I will remedy that. I see a lot of potential in a Mion x Rika pairing anyway, so this isn't something I can ignore.**

**Positive feedback would be nice. I'd greatly appreciate it, and I would love to hear your thoughts.**

**Enjoy~!**

**.**

**STORY ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AUGUST 14, 2019**

[-x-]

_Summary: Finally done with the usual village board meeting regarding the upcoming Watanagashi festival, Mion and Rika sit together by the Furude Shine and finally have a little rest and relaxation to themselves. Though things get awkward for Mion when the young and innocent Rika starts asking about what Hinamizawa could be like as a kingdom and how the both of them could serve as the princesses of their families. And of course, there's that one silly question which makes it even weirder for Mion, "Can two princesses get together without a prince?" _

_Pairing: MiiRika (F/F; Yuri)_

_Rated: K+_

[-x-]

**5\. Interesting Inquiries**

**...**

"Aahhh... finally, a breather!" Mion heaved a tired sigh as she flopped down on the set of smooth, stone stairs. She stretched her arms and legs outs, eliciting a muffled moan of fatigue that vibrated the fleshy cavern of her mouth. "The council meeting with the elders lasted a tediously long time. I'm glad we finally finished. Any longer, and the slithery tendrils of boredom's hypnosis would have bound my drowsing form for sure!"

Sitting abreast left to the relieved teenager, Rika flashed her habitual buoyant grin and happily giggled, "Mii! You talk funny, sir. I like that."

"Well, you know ol' man Mion, always one for the theatrics, ku-ku-ku!" replied Mion humorously.

Today was an exhausting one for Mion. School bored her to hell to the point where she had been dozing off, as usual, which earned her a nice and _very_ hard smack upside the head, courtesy of Chie-sensei's clipboard. Once school ended, Mion immediately rushed home to get in some coveted sleep, only to come across the looming stature of her scary granny, who told her to prepare in ten minutes for attending an impromptu meeting with the village board.

And long story short, the conference had been an fun-killing experience.

Mion was forced to sit beside her grandmother and listen to a group of people discuss about the kind of stalls, appropriate banners, and what settable props were required for the upcoming Watanagashi festival, the most vital event to be hosted once every June.

Not much about Rika's dance was discussed since everything for that ceremony had already been planned out, but the festive entertainment and decorations were still a minor - real pain in the ass - issue to deal with, especially since a few of the concession workers were unavailable to be commissioned for who knows why, and that some of the decorations were too tattered to use and needed to be replaced.

It had been hard for Mion to resist yawning and complain how boring the meeting was; really, it was difficult. Gone were the days when she wasn't old enough to attend and the grown-ups in her family had to do everything for her. But Mion knew that if she did, her grandmother would've been livid, and angering the equivalent of a flaming, soul-collecting demon was right at the top on her "not-to-do" list.

Nevertheless, the meeting wasn't _too_ bad. It lasted for an hour and a half, give or take - a much shorter duration than the usual two-to-three-hour-long conferences that were hosted.

Now Mion could finally get some rest and recuperation. No more sitting around at a large table tuning in on a conversation that carried similar effects of a lullaby; she was free to do what she wanted for the rest of her day. Free!

"Hey, Mii?" Rika asked adorably, slanting her head to her left for added effect. Right between Mion's staring eyes, she whipped out the wedge of a fresh red apple from the pink bento on her lap for Mion to see. It was deftly sliced in a small piece. "Would you like apple?"

Mion gave her a warm, friendly smile. The child, apparently, had packed herself a lunchbox of cut-up apples to dig into once the meeting concluded. What a sweetie-pie. She was considerate enough to spare her a piece.

"Sure, Rika-chan, I'm famished. Thank you," Mion reached out to pinch the rind of the apple wedge using two of her fingers, and gently pulled it away from Rika's offering grasp. She brought it close to her mouth and nibbled on the flesh part with her teeth, reducing the apple wedge into a smaller piece that she eventually swallowed down whole.

"I'm happy to be done with that meeting too, sir," the younger female began as she gently set her bento down on the gravel step beside her. "Lots and lots of chatting about the preparations for the traditional festival of Watanagashi. I don't get to voice my input either so all I do is just sit there and listen. Sure would be better if I was allowed to draw and color, miii~!"

The green-haired teen remarked mirthfully, "Amen to that. Nice to see us great minds thinking alike. However, I'd say you have it easier than I do. You are still very young, so you're free to wear whatever you'd like and not have to worry about following dress code like me."

"That's true," Rika glanced below, her violet eyes rained upon the simple sundress of mint green blanketing her small, petite figure; the curving hems of her garment swam peacefully to and fro her thighs. She stretched out her lower limbs, flaunting the svelte muscles of it along with the white slides that adorned her doll feet.

No matter what the circumstances were, formal wear was essential in every meeting Mion needed to attend. Luckily, the uniform she wore to school everyday was acceptable; a white short-sleeved, collared-shirt with thin red lines circling near the ends of the sleeves and collar; a lengthy green tie that reached below her cleavage; a light-bronze, unbuttoned vest worn over her shirt; an ankle-long, raspberry-colored skirt that embraced her waist; a pair of black socks which covered up to her ankles, and lastly, two brown, boot-like shoes enveloping her sock-sporting feet.

Mion frowned to herself promptly. "Oh, yeah, speaking of which, I should probably remove this accursed long skirt about now. No use wearing it any longer now that the meeting's done."

She stood up and had her hands trace around her waist to find the button holding up her bottom wear. Once her delicate fingers came in contact with the silvery, tiny knob of the skirt, Mion torn it apart, separating the button from the slit that had been binded together.

Rika squeaked and instinctively raised her hands over her face, having the decency not to watch her friend boldly undress in the open. Though when she heard Mion verbally give her the okay to look back, Rika slowly lowered her hands, but still unsure, she peered tentatively through the bars of her fingers.

Thankfully, Rika didn't find Mion in her undergarments. Instead, she was greeted to the sight of Mion's legs clung firmly through a pair of tight denim jeans. The lower limbs Mion carried were fairly muscled and well-toned, and it was easy to see proof of that with the muscles faintly indenting through the trousers.

"Nyaha ha ha ha, sorry if I got you embarrassed from what I did, Rika-chan. Didn't mean to surprise you like that," Mion sent a sheepish grin to Rika as she began to fold her long, pink-red skirt. "I considered wearing my skinny jeans under this skirt to the meeting, so I can ditch the skirt sooner without having to run back home and retrieve these good pair of pants. A tad bit uncomfortable, but worth it. Convenient, huh?"

"Sure is, Mii. And I understand, you aren't very fond of dressing up in girly clothing," Rika replied reassuringly. She added, "Not that I mind. You look great in jeans. I do miss the white sweater you usually wrap around them though. It gave off a good fashion statement."

Mion nodded as she almost finished folding the skirt in a round-edged square. "Yeah, I see what you mean. But it would have been tricky to wear that sweater under, and it was already bad enough dealing with the extra heat."

"Hmmm..." Rika examined Mion's jean-clad legs and pointed out, "I see you're quite athletic, sir. There's some good muscle showing through that I could barely see."

"Oh, uh, hee-hee, it's not all that special. When I was at your age, Ba-chan planned on hiring a reliable self-defense tutor to teach me the martial arts. And hired she did. All of this leg muscle is the result of learning and practicing strenuously for so long," a modest Mion responded offhandedly. **[1]**

When she was done folding, Mion carefully placed her folded skirt over the spot she sat on previously, before plopping herself atop the self-made cushion. She groaned in content, her butt resting nicely on the soft and lumpy skirt opposed to the rough and flat step of the stairs.

Mion turned her attention to Rika and flexed her left arm. "Alas, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You can see more of my muscles from my arms. It's the perks of getting yourself involved in lots of physical activity."

"You should feel proud of yourself. I know I'm proud of you. You deserve a nice-" Rika smiled and loudly cheered, "-nipah~!"

"Thank you for that, sweetie, I appreciate it," Mion laughed and ruffled the tufts of Rika's indigo hair. "Y'know, if you want, I can teach you to defend yourself some time. I know how great a learner you are, and those self-defense techniques can come in handy."

"I'd like that," smiled Rika.

The blue-haired youth raised her head, shooting a beatific gaze at the skies above in admiration. Washed in a warm orange color, the celestial heavens transcending above her flooded across the vast regions of Hinamizawa, drowning the passing clouds nearby which became a blackened titian upon contact.

Rika detected the giant sun ablaze in fervent light through the corners of her eyes, though had wisely chosen to not pay as much attention to it as the tangerine-colored skies, thus saving her precious eyes from the burning blindness. Her ears perked upon being rubbed down gently by the thrumming croons of the cicadas inhabiting somewhere hidden from her and Mion.

"The afternoon skies are a sight for sore eyes. Their vibrant orange color keeps me mesmerized in its alluring image. And the evening's cicadas who pay visit to us in the summer chirp in a soothing pulse that's music to our ears," Rika emitted a content hum. "Doesn't that sound like a beautiful scenery, Mii?"

"It sure does," Mion agreed absentmindedly as she scrutinized her unique combination of school and casual attire. "Man, who knew this white shirt and beige vest for school would clash so well with my regular jeans?" she stuck out her right foot and studied the brown boot worn over it. "These boots are a good addition, too. Almost makes me look like a cowboy - or cow_girl_, as is the case here. Heh-heh, just imagine me as a cowgirl kicking butt."

"...Hey, Mii?" asked Rika suddenly.

"Eh?" the older female lowered her leg and turned around to stare at Rika, who was eying her curiously for some reason. "Somethin' wrong, Rika-chan?"

Rika's mouth limped downward, looking slightly dejected. This left Mion rather concerned; she didn't like it whenever a close buddy of hers looked so glum. "A little. Some of the kids in our class deride me for being childish when I think of this, but..."

"Go on, sweetie, I won't make fun of you. I'm willing to lend an ear," Mion urged kindly when Rika trailed off in her words.

The long indigo-haired child averted her eyes to the opposite of Mion briefly in hesitation, before directing them back to meet her friend's teal orbs. "Can you picture Hinamizawa as a kingdom, like one of those kingdoms you heard about in fairy tales - with the big castle and kings and queens to rule over the land of people living in peace?"

Mion took the time to remain silent and take Rika's words into consideration. Admittingly, the thought _was_ silly and childish, indeed. But it was a cute thought, and it was one suggested from Hinamizawa's most adorable, well-liked Rika too. How precious!

An elfin grin graced Mion's soft, attractive features as she responded politely, "Absolutely. Hinamizawa is a wonderful place of serenity and happiness no one outside could possibly fathom. Don't let your classmates discourage you to perish the thought. I think it's a lovely notion of yours."

"Really? You mean it?" Rika's face lit up.

"Of course. Actually, when I think about it now, Hinamizawa does have its very own monarchy - us! ...well, more accurately, our families, but my point still stands," Mion reasoned jovially.

"Yippe~!" cheered an euphoric Rika as she threw her hands in the air merrily. "Mii loves my idea! What a joyous moment. I'm very, very happy."

The greenish-ponytailed girl broadened her smile further, pleased to see Rika in high spirits.

"Well, if that is true, what would _we_ be in this nice kingdom? Since both our families rule over Hinamizawa, does that mean we are... princesses?" Rika tilted her head and mused thoughtfully.

Mion stifled a giggle as she slid her fingers over her unwrinkled lips, shielding them from view. "I suppose so, though - agree to disagree, I'd like to see myself more as the prince."

"Miii-!" Rika began to pout, "No way, sir, you're supposed to be the insurmountable princess of the Sonozaki monarch. I'm meant to be the bubbly princess of the Furude monarch who spreads joy all around me."

"Alright, alright, I'm a princess, ha ha!" Mion surrendered and let out a nervous laugh, placating Rika as she did so. She placed her hands on her lap. "Insurmountable, huh? You must think of me so highly to say I'm that great, and bubbly sounds befitting for you, Rika-chan. I like that. So anyway, what gave you the idea of this whole kingdom thing?"

Rika looked up and tapped her chin. "Tough question to answer. In all honesty, I figured the land here looked more than pretty and pristine enough to be an imperial domain of harmony. This village has great terrain."

"Fair enough," laughed Mion.

Silence deafened the hearing of both girls, and Mion's eyes had wandered off to stare at the panoramic landscape ahead. Her optic beryl orbs trekked on the gravel steps descending down, and then drifted the hard dirt track that led north - somewhere far into the distance of the sun, at the same time also disregarding the miscellaneous trees that neighbored both sides of the trail.

Mion watched and admired the pacific view. Through her peripheral vision, she had also caught glimpses of Rika gazing at her in what could have been reasonably described as curiosity. Despite reading the unchanged expression via brief glances every so often, Mion wasn't able to figure out what Rika wanted. Reading off the faces of others was more Rena's expertise. Mion thought making an inquiry out of it seemed rather daring and rude, so she decided against saying anything. At least not until Rika started talking again.

And talk the child did.

"Uhm, sir?" Rika scootched over to her right side. The little one moved closer to Mion, who held back a yelp when Rika's right wing pressed against her left arm. She set her head adjacent to the upper part of Mion's limb closest to the shoulder region, resting on it as if it were a pillow. "Can I ask you another thing?"

The greenette guided her eyes back to an inquisitive Rika as she responded, "By all means, be my guest."

"Well..." Rika drew her eyes to the left in a slow pace before dragging them back to Mion. "I've done some thinking just now. Since the two of us are Hinamizawa's princesses, does that mean we each need a prince to marry, in order to strengthen the Furude and Sonozaki families?"

That took Mion aback. Was _that_ why she had been staring at her curiously? Such an interesting topic Rika brought up. Mion was beginning to wonder just what exactly went on in that little head of hers.

"Eh? You're thinking about princes now?" Mion flashed a nervous smile and paused to select her words carefully. Once she finished deciding, she answered in a cautious manner, "Ah, well, sweetie, that is a question yet to have its answer. As it is for us, it's too soon to be thinking about an appropriate prince, much less to seek one for marriage. You will just have to wait until you are older."

"But sir, I can't wait. I wanna be with a prince now. It's lonely being the only member of the Furude family. Finding my prince can fix that; and that way, I'd finally have someone to consider as a part of my family, miii..." whined Rika. "We'd even make babies!"

Mion couldn't help but chortle aloud in amusement. The mindset of a naive, youthful soul was unbearably entertaining. Rika was the type who could make her laugh to death with ease, simply by being adorable. "Oh, Rika-chan, your devotion to that is admirable, but you're still several years too far from achieving that goal. And please, can you maybe hold off on that baby idea? That's a very huge step you can't go back on, and you don't need to give Ba-chan or any of the residents here heart attacks."

"Nghhh... Mii is being mean," Rika remained petulant. "You and all the older villagers like to take pity on me whenever I talk about making babies. And what do you mean I'm several years far from being with a prince? Love is patience for no one. That's exactly what Chie-sensei said to me once when she ranted on about being single last week."

"Well, no offense to her, but that just means our teacher should take her own advice, and you need to follow that example too, ha ha!" Mion grinned. Oh, she knew what Rika was talking about. Her poor teacher did indeed have a hard time seeking relations with a man to match her passion.

Problem was that said-passion was a vastly huge fondness for curry, and that strong interest in itself was fundamentally next-to-impossible for anyone to share. Mion doubted there was anyone in the world who could possibly love curry as much as her teacher did.

"No, I don't wanna. I want love - the kind that'll make me super duper happy like no one else," Rika denied, her voice sounding in a pouting quality.

Then Rika came to an abrupt halt in her words. A pensive mien overlaid the blue-haired girl's face. Mion replaced her grin with a bemused look, the planted seeds of worry taking flourish. It looked like Rika was starting to get another idea formed in her head. Great, a new wonder stemmed from Rika's curiosity that she had to satiate. What was gonna come next?

Rika blinked a few times before her eyes became less lost in contemplation and more focused towards Mion's peering ones. She smiled as broad as she could and inquired tersely, "Can two princesses get together without a prince?"

Mion's eyes snapped open wider than normal. A strangled noise of disbelief foamed within the flesh walls of her throat as she felt a surge of heat spread across her face. She shot a swift glance to a smiling Rika and exclaimed shrilly, "Eeehhh?! Wh- Wha- W-What did you say?!"

"I asked if it was possible for a princess to get together with another princess rather than wait for a prince," affirmed Rika plainly. "You said I had to be patient for my prince to arrive, but does the same thing apply when a princess waits for another princess?" she took notice of Mion's discompose and giggled, "What's the matter, Mii? You appear to be blushing."

"-aah- uhhnn- ehh- mmmhhh-" Mion spluttered the disarranged set of noises through her discombobulated voice. She shifted her flustered figure abashedly, her scrumptious bottom jiggled around the snug cushion of her skirt it sat on. "Oh, Rika-chan... for a princess to be in romance with another princess, it's- it's-"

"It's what?" Rika impelled.

"Well, it's-" the teenager felt a strong urge to hide her face away, just to conceal the visible chagrin that took shape. She wasn't sure if inducing the current topic was a good idea. As it was, part of her didn't like being in the position to explain sex orientations to Rika. "It's just- well, you know how all princesses are generally girls, right?"

Rika nodded in understanding.

"So, if two girls - or rather, two princesses - become an item, then that would make them... lesbians," the blush on Mion's face intensified when Rika shot her a puzzled look. She went on to clarify, "Lesbians are... very special girls who are attracted to the same sex gender. There aren't that many around who are open about their love interests publicly. Most of them hide away, like away from the face of the earth, in, uh, closets. Figuratively."

Mion continued to stammer, "Ahh, uhhh, t- to- to put it simply, lesbians aren't taken too kindly. Lots of people think its weird of them to bare such preferences. From their point of view, it deviates from the norm. And all the lesbians around know that, meaning they feel insecure and shy of revealing themselves - or hesistant to come out of the closet, figuratively. So, when you brought up the idea about two princesses getting together as a couple, Rika-chan, it's just a bit surprising, is all. Lesbians are seldom to run into, and lesbian princesses are even less common." **[1]**

"... ... ...sir, why do you keep mentioning closets?" Rika asked, confused.

"Y- you hush right now! Doesn't matter whether or not they are princesses. Lesbians - who are, once again, girls who fall in love with other girls - are people that you don't come across often," Mion turned away in embarrassment. "Mou, you sure love forcing me to talk about such topics, don't you?"

"Sorry, sir, I wasn't aware old man Uncle Mion could get pretty sensitive over two girls falling in love with one another," Rika looked slightly rueful. "I'll try to be more considerate for your sake."

"Thank you," her blush now subsiding, Mion glanced back to Rika and smiled warmly.

Rika beamed in joy, any traces of shame over unsettling Mion were wiped off her visage. She stretched her small hand above the head of the older girl and patted it graciously, her fingers squishing down the soft green strands of hair that bounced up and down like a rubber ball. "But I have one more question piquing my spirit of inquiry, if you don't mind."

"Alright, I guess one last query won't hurt," accepted Mion.

The blue-haired child broadened her smile as she stood up on her feet, walking in front of Mion. Without warning, she spun around and threw herself back, her behind plopping down on top of Mion's thighs. In instinct, Mion withdrew her hands away from her lap just moments before Rika landed, though that hadn't prevent the little girl from getting atop of her legs.

Mion squealed in surprise. She spread her legs out to west and east, forcing Rika off her thighs and having the bluenette land on the small area of stone that was open in between. The green-haired teenager threw her head below and gazed at Rika in shock as she cried, "Rika-chan, what are you doing?!"

Rika said nothing at first. Her response was to revolve and get on her knees, getting into a kneeling position that had her face close to Mion's, both in length and distance. As the tips of both their noses touched together lightly, the younger female spoke, "I was just wondering, is it okay if..."

Her big smile faltered marginally. "...is it okay if you and I could... kiss?"

_"Huh?!"_ Mion's blush returned in full-force as her entire body stiffened. Her face heated ten-folds to where the red color was nearly identical to a tomato's. She fixed her contracted eyes at Rika's contrasting, dilated ones. "R- Rika-chan-!"

"Mii, I didn't mean to frighten you, sir," a sheepish glint of life shined the docile eyes of Rika Furude. The indigo-haired girl gave a lopsided grin that spoke innocence, slanting her head off to her right shoulder and swinging her curtain of long hair meanwhile. "I'm just want to have an experience."

"An experience..." Mion gulped as she hesistated in her slurred speech. "...experience of what?"

"Of what it's like to be a lesbian," Rika chirped, straightening her head and smiling cheek-to-cheek evenly. "From what you told me and also what I can understand, you said lesbians were special girls who fall for other girls, and that very few princesses can be lesbians too."

She carried on with a cheer, "Well, I personally think we're very special in Hinamizawa. We're VIPs here, role models - admired and adored by everyone of this rural setting. Some of the villagers can vouch for us even. That means we can be lesbians! Also, if I remember well, you said that both you and I could be princesses, so that's even better. We'll be one of the small few who actually exist."

Mion couldn't believe the crazy things that were spewing out of her friend's mouth. With how much heat was transmitting to her flustered countenance, she felt sure she was close on the brink of fainting. She whispered in an astonished tone, "...Rika-chan, sweetie... is that what you think?"

"Mm-hmm," nodded Rika affirmingly. "Not a tiny ounce of doubt. I firmly believe it so," she closed her eyes, tilted her head, and happily cried, "Nipaaahhh~!"

"R-R-Rika-chan, y-you," Mion stuttered profusely. She placed her hands over both halves of Rika's tiny hips in an attempt to push the child away. Sadly, her efforts had proved futile. Rika wasn't budging. "This old man isn't sure if she's able t-to... to stoke up to your demands."

"Why not?" looking sulky, Rika gripped onto Mion's arms, staring her dead in the eye with fervent violet orbs drilling through the greenette's. "What's wrong with having one kiss together? We have known each other since forever. Do you think kissing's disgusting like all our classmates at school believe? Or do you think _I_ am disgusting for wanting a kiss?"

The teenager flinched when she watched Rika downcast her eyes in dejection. Guilt wrenched her panged heart like a twisting limb breaking with a sickening _crack_. She hadn't intended to hurt her feelings like that. Quick to clear up the misunderstanding, Mion reassured, "No, no, no! I don't think kissing is disgusting, and I don't think you're disgusting either, certainly not. But..."

Mion flashed a sad smile. "Your eagerness to become a lesbian is impossible. That's not how it works, hee-hee. I mean, you can't just make yourself gay, then sought for love of those in the same gender as you. Some individuals out there are simply born that way, and I don't think I share their qualities. Being attracted - having a preference to a certain gender is more complex than you think."

"Oh, but, Mii," Rika elevated her gaze to meet with Mion's, her disheartened disposition converting to innocent confusion. "Is it really that complicated? Tell me, do you love me?"

Her green-haired friend started, "I love you enough to protect ya, but that's diffe-"

"I see, I see. Well, if that's how you feel, I want to say I love you too. You're a cute kitty," Rika cut Mion off cheerfully. Her mouth stretched far to her rotund cheeks in a large grin as she snickered, "You're contradicting yourself. You say it is complex, but really, it's so simple. I love you and you love me. That's a good enough reason to kiss each other, right?"

Mion could feel the dark, deep tinge of her flushed cheeks boil in high temperatures. The varying concepts of love were utterly lost with this child. Rika's ignorance was adorable, but in cases like this, it was a pain to handle. In all fairness though, Mion couldn't fault her for it. She was just a little orphan girl, one whose child-like imagination ran deep enough to misinterpret the family, platonic, and romantic aspects of love as one thing.

"Ha-ha-ha, Rika-chan, you can be so cute and naive," Mion laughed lightheartedly. She moved her hands and settled them atop Rika's delicate shoulders as she stated, "Listen, love doesn't translate to only romance where a pair of individuals starting sucking face and proceed onto marriage. Love can be synonymous with the strong bond between family or friends that care enough to look out for you as protection. That's how I feel about you right now, Rika-chan, I'm the bear who looks out for the cubs like you, the big princess who protects the little princess, that's you."

Rika blinked blankly, silence lodging her throat. The big simper covering her face thickly wavered as she directed her eyes below. Then she glanced back to Mion. "Stop rambling nonsense. Kiss me."

"No," denied the older female flatly.

The bluenette said nothing at first. She fixed a steady gaze - one that accented her broad, kitty-like smile - towards Mion. Her bluish-purple eyes enlarged to the size of a can's round and flat surface. Rika drew herself back from Mion slightly, far enough to have her face and Mion's a couple more inches apart.

Her small hands released their hold on the teenage girl's arms, fluidly fleeing to her chest region and fingering the tied, thin strips of the ribbon accessory that ornamented the green sundress it came along with.

Mion quietly observed Rika with a nervous look, with small beads of salty sweat taking form and trickling down her temples. The child was being awfully silent from her blunt refusal. Her sixth sense was screeching loudly, telling her that something was gonna happen - something drastic that involved Rika. And Mion somehow knew she wasn't going to like it, whatever that "something" was.

"..M...Mii... Miii..." faint whimpers in the invisible form of sound issued from Rika's quivering lips, which flipped upside-down into a poignant frown. Her violet orbs broke out of their firm, calm state and began to quake. Welling at the edges of her eyes - obscuring her peripheral vision in a wet blur were fresh tears coming to life. The whimpers rose in volume, and continued to do so until... "Uuuwwaaahhhhhhh!"

"Eeep!" Mion yelped, jolting in surprise.

Rika tightened her fists and began twisting around the corners of her closed eyes that were squeezing shut, wiping away the tears attempting to trail downward like a sponge. She wailed, "Mii is a meanie, Mii is a meanie! All I asked of her was a kiss, all so I can show how much I care about her, and she said, "No"! She hurt my feelings! Meanie Mii! Meanie Mii! Meanie Mii!"

"Sshhh, Rika-chan, let's- let's not make a scene now," lulled Mion unsuccessfully as her teal eyes scanned the area around her in worry, hoping no onlookers were alerted to Rika's tantrum.

For the trouble teen, luckily, the villagers had either retired to their homes to rest up for the day, or were simply somewhere else. And the very few who so happened to remain near the Furude Shrine were too far away from the girls for their poor hearing and sight to be alarmed. Still, that didn't solve the issue with Rika.

The indigo-haired girl persisted in bawling her eyes. "I'm crying a river and it's all Meanie Mii's fault! Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii!"

"Rika-chan," Mion spoke up again nervously, her face blanching a stark white. "Please, if you would just-"

"-Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii," tossing her head around violently, Rika chanted brusquely.

"Would just-"

"-Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii-"

"Just please calm dow-"

"-Meanie Mii-!"

"_I'll kiss you!_" Mion blurted out at the top of her lungs, throwing back her head as she drowned out the whining mantras Rika blared. "I'll kiss you, alright! J-Just stop crying, please! This old man hates to see you so distraught."

Rika paused abruptly in her sorrowful sobs. She opened her eyes and lowered her hands, no longer did her periwinkle irises quake emotionally. The youngest of the two girls discarded her poignant countenance, and in its place plastered an unidentifiable look Mion had a hard time deciphering. "...Mii, did you say what I think you just said?"

"I said, I'll... kiss you..." the owner of the long, rich-green ponytail descending down her back reiterated shrinkingly, with cheeks flared back to their scarlet state. Clearly, she acted on impulse, not so much taking consideration to mull over her rash decision. Rika's weeping had pressured her greatly to concede.

"Really?" asked Rika in a hopeful tone. Her eyes began to sparkle lively. She leaned forward to Mion marginally. "Do you mean that? Are you and I actually going to kiss?"

"Y-Yeah, you have Uncle Mion's word. She never lies," Mion fidgeted atop her skirt cushion, shooting a soft expression toward the child. She lacked firm confidence in her voice, making clear her uncertainty on how things were going to pan out between her and Rika from that point.

Rika's poker face changed, distorting into a cheery and exuberant mien. She rubbed off the dried tears that smeared her sleek skin, removing any signs of her tantrum previously. Her hands proceeded to clap together incessantly, and Rika applauded, "Hooray! Pachi, pachi. Mii's allowing me to kiss her. I knew that guilt-tripping her was gonna work." **[3]**

"What?! You mean you were-! Hnnngg," Mion cursed at herself internally. Why hadn't she see this coming? Of course the tyke would pull off a dirty trick like that. Clever little sneak.

The green-haired teenager wore a stern look on her face, wagging a single finger as she upbraided, "Rika-chan, you cheeky raccoon, you. How dare you play me like that. Oooh, I oughta hand you a punishing spanki- _mmpfh!_"

Mion's scolding voice was hushed into a muffled gasp when Rika's lips tackled her own.

The older female widened her eyes. She felt herself being pushed back slightly by an assertive Rika, who had leaned ahead and pressed her own body against Mion's nubile and more-developed figure. Rika settled her tiny hands over the broad shoulders belonging to Mion, giving them a tender squeeze as she deepened the kiss further.

As for Mion, who was staggered over the unforeseen kiss that had happened instantly, she found it harder to be less flustered in each passing second. In instinct, she grabbed onto Rika's sides and prepared to push the feminine youth off of her. But then she stopped in her tracks, a bone-nerving paralysis numbing her whole body.

Something in the innermost depths of Mion's mind was preventing her from ending the kiss. Mion wasn't sure why, that was, until she was then bombarded by thoughts regarding the smooching Rika in bliss; how her soft lips, albeit moisturized and smooth, were so small it only invaded the center region of her own fleshy, sealed mouth. How pleasant and cordial it felt while Rika's upper body insisted on pushing and compressing her ample, squishy set of boobs. And she couldn't forget the soothing feel from the sides of their noses brushing together.

Then, Rika gently lifted her hands to cup Mion's cheeks, evoking a gasping moan from the greenette. Mion squirmed in delight as she blushed furiously. The way the blue-haired child's nursing palms were kneading her sunken pouches - and the way her curling fingers stroked the soft locks of her green hair from the sides - was exhilarating! Enough to have her groaning dreamily for more, and more than enough to convince her not to break the kiss.

Mion released her grip on Rika's sides. Her arms slithered around the young Furude girl to wrap around in a coil. Then, Mion reeled young Rika in, bringing her closer to herself. She took action in reciprocating the smooching gesture Rika was giving, enveloping the tiny lips of the child whole using her own, and crossing her robust legs around Rika's pair of kneeling, slender lower limbs at the same time.

She noted the sensation of the bluenette's fair-skinned, bare legs come into friendly contact with the cotton fabric of the jeans she sported. She also felt the light material of the pale-green dress Rika wore cling onto her exposed arms. Mion noticed Rika's delicate and dainty physique tremble under her hold. It seemed the little one was having as much enjoyment as she had.

The emerald-haired teenager moaned once again - this time with Rika accompanying her. Both girls in passionate kissing kept their lips intertwined. From how tightly close their bodies were together, they felt their respective, racing hearts flutter in unison. Mion and Rika deepened their smooch further, groaning sweetly all the while.

Eventually, the two girls parted, panting for air.

"Oh, my, wow..." Rika exhaled breathlessly, wearing over her face a dumbfounded expression.

"Rika-chan," rasped Mion, her cheeks burned beet-red as she gazed at Rika in astonishment.

"That kiss. It was," the blue-haired child had her hands perched onto Mion's shoulders, grasping them tenderly. Her droopy violet eyes drove through the set of enlarged beryl orbs which came from the teenage girl. "-was... It was amazing! I never knew kissing another girl could be so breath-taking for me. It's leaving me so woozy."

Mion wriggled bashfully, embarrassed to hear those words uttered from Rika. What made the situation more mortifying was how she shared Rika's sentiments completely. The mouth-to-mouth contact was enchanting, mesmerizing - so captivating it sent her in a humid daze. Kissing Rika made her senses spiral out of control, forcing her to think, feel, and experience nothing but the smooching between Rika and herself. The longer Mion kissed Rika, the more feverish and light-headed she got. She was on the brink of fainting.

"Is this how love feels? Is this how it feels to be a lesbian, a princess whose fallen head-over-heels for another princess?" Rika muttered reflectively. More weight pressured her eyelids. She was bobbing her head lightly.

"Ah... I guess it is," a dizzy Mion replied simply, struggling to keep herself together. "I can't fathom what transpired between us. Never have I pegged myself to be kissing another girl, and to wound up so excited over one too..."

"See, Mii, I told you, it's not so complex, it's simple. You just like making everything complicated as a grown-up," giggled Rika weakly. "Such an adorable kitty you are; so flustered at times like this, and so oblivious to the wonders of love. Makes me wanna caress your head and go, "pat, pat, pat". Y'know, love is very flexible. It works in many different ways, the possibilities are unbound and endless. You can be in love with anyone as long as you know who you want."

She tilted her head and finished with a wide grin, "And I know I want you. Nipaahhh~!"

"Uh- Ahh- Ehhh- R-Ri- Rika-chan-!" Mion placed her knuckles over her mouth, visibly shamefaced to where it looked as if she wanted to live out the rest of her days hiding in a cave.

Rika let out a childish titter before she collapsed, dropping the little resistance she had against her stupor remaining. Luckily, her head so happened to land on the soft, large breasts of Mion, which cushioned her fall significantly. Mion gasped upon feeling the minor pain of having Rika collide with her chest, though she had been able to dismiss the sting, thankfully.

"My bad, I'm so dazed I can hardly keep myself balanced. I hope you don't mind if I rest and stay in your arms for a bit," Rika nuzzled against Mion's cleavage, acting as if she was resting on a cushy pillow. Her right temple swept the jiggling bosoms from Mion to the side repeatedly meanwhile. "Is that okay?"

The oldest of the two girls was stunned initially. She found it hard to respond immediately. But several seconds in, Mion managed to shake off her stupefied state, and she found herself wrapping her arms around Rika - with one hand pulling the child closer and the other stroking down the pouring waterfall that was her indigo hair. "Of course, sweetie. My head's spinning too. Both of us can rest together."

"Thank you, Princess Mii of the Sonozaki. I'm glad us princesses are looking out for each other. We need to stick together," Rika cooed lovingly. As she heaved one last sigh before succumbing to her sleep, the younger female managed to mumble, "Love you."

Mion's gracile cheeks blushed a heated red as scorching as the flaming hairs of the sun. No one had ever made her feel so love-struck about themselves before, not until Rika. Once upon a time, the teenager only saw Rika as a close friend. But now after what occurred with the kiss, that was starting to change. Mion knew she'd never see Rika in that regard anymore from now on in. She'd see her as... as...

The Sonozaki girl raised her eyes momentarily before she lowered them back down at Rika. Damn, she wasn't even sure what she would see in Rika. Girlfriend wasn't quite the right term to use; the five-to-six (maybe seven?) year age difference between them served as too much of an issue, and Mion was heavily adamant against being that kind of pervert. Fling wasn't right either since she also wasn't the type to indulge in various affairs. But then, what about... princess?

That was when her thoughts came to an abrupt stop. Before Mion knew it, she found herself using the index and middle fingers of her right hand, which was no longer stroking Rika's long hair, to trace around her damp lips, as if wanting to recollect what once brushed over them earlier. The teenager pulled her fingers away to study them in confounded fashion, then redirected her focus to the sleeping Rika in her embrace.

Mion shook her head, smiling. She enveloped Rika in a tighter hug with both her arms, nestling her chin on the blue tufts growing on the surface of the child's head as she smothered her under her comfy big bosoms. Maybe Rika was right; love was flexible and its possibilities were miscellaneous. It wasn't something that could have a logical explanation so easily. Maybe it was about knowing what she wanted that mattered most. And Mion now realized she wanted Rika.

Desperately.

"Yeah, love ya too, Princess Rika of the Furude," Mion pecked the scalp of Rika's head cordially. She cooed to herself dreamily as her lips and nose snuggled within the tufts of the bluenette's brain case. "I will be right by your side always. Us princesses do need to stick together after all."

But still, Mion just couldn't see herself as a lesbian, no matter how hard she tried to get her mind wrapped around that. Bisexual, maybe. That sounded fitting for her. Mion made a mental note to explain about bisexuals to Rika later someday. Thankfully, there was a logical explanation for _that_.

[-x-]

**A/N II: You've reached the end! Congrats! This one had taken a lot longer than needed, with the vivid imagery and all, but I think it paid off. So, how was it? Did you enjoy the MiRika one-shot? I tried to make Mion and Rika as in-character and not out-of-character as I could to have it seem convincing. Lemme know your thoughts on this shipping.**

**Otherwise, I don't really have anything else to say. Next will be a KeiRika one-shot that's set in the first world of Rika's loop, way before our little Rika was constantly tormented by the horrid cycle of fate. Alright, see ya then!**

**Notes:**

**[1]** "Ba-chan" is derive from the Japanese word, "Obaa-san", which translates to "grandmother" in English.

**[2]** No offense to any gays out there. Not meant to be intentional in the slightest. Though you have to keep in mind, _Higurashi_ is set in the eighties, and at that time, I doubt homosexuals were treated very well.

**[3]** "Pachi Pachi" is Japanese onomatopoeia that's related to the sound of someone clapping their hands.


	7. Possessive

**Boundless Kakera**

**...**

**STORY ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AUGUST 21, 2019 (Rika's birthday! Happy Birthday, Rika Furude! Nipah~!)**

[-x-]

_Summary: Takes place at the beginning of Rika's timeloop. Rika loves Keiichi dearly. He's a well-appreciated addition to her circle of friends and knows how to entertain everyone around him with his flamboyant personality. Rika admires him a lot, and she wishes for him to stay by her side forever. Though it tends to be annoying for her when people start getting a little too close to Keiichi. Oh, well. Not a problem. That just means she has to get even closer. _

_Pairing(s): KeiRika (F/M)_

_Rated: K+_

[-x-]

**6\. Possessive**

**...**

"Nuuuuoooohhhh! Curse all you conniving women and your shameless tactics! I am thoroughly pissed. What did I do to deserve this," a disgruntled Keiichi shot up from his seat and threw his cards up in the air as he scowled disapprovingly at the girls sitting by him.

Mion shrugged her shoulders impassively. "Honestly, nothing. All of us play like this all the time, and Rena-chan usually ended up as the loser. Then at some point we got tired of picking on her, and when you came along, well," she chuckled lightly, "-the stars lined up."

"Haaauuu, thank the heavens for that miracle," sighed Rena in relief.

"Oh-ho-ho, poor Keiichi-san can't handle our club games," Satoko chimed in with that annoyingly condescending attitude few people could stand. "Rule two of our group, do whatever it takes to win, be it like memorizing distinct marks on the cards to know all the diamonds, hearts, and numbers, ex cetera. And if you can't play in that warfare, than wave up the white flag and go home."

"No way! I'll never surrender. This classroom reeks of injustice right alongside you dishonorable weasels, and it's my sole duty to cleanse it. Mark my words of magic. I, Keiichi Maebara, will triumph over you all without underhanded tactical superiority, and I'll make each and every one of you suffer brutal punishment games and then some," Keiichi declared dramatically, wearing a confident look. He stood up proudly with his fists to his hips, his stature and posture as high and mighty as a king.

Giggling in amusement, Shion applauded, "Bravo, bravo. An awe-inspiring spiel spoken by the man who lives up to his epithet, Magician of Words," a devilish smirk then crossed over her soft features. "...but such words won't save you. Right now, you have a penalty games to serve, and as today's winner, young Rika-chan is going to deliver."

Keiichi's shoulders slumped, his face now sweating nervously as it blanched and softened from its indignant expression.

"Miii~!" hearing her name called out, the smiling indigo-haired girl mewed while waving a friendly hand, "Hee-hee! Don't fret, little kitty-kitty sir, I think you've been bullied enough this week. So I'll try and be lenient with your punishment today."

"Phew," Keiichi wiped the beads of sweat off his face and sent a gracious look towards Rika, thanking her silently.

"Ehhh?!" Satoko whipped her head around to face Rika, violently swinging the short locks and dangling bangs of her honey-colored hair. With one brow arched, she complained, "Why must you be nice to the peasant? This club's about kill or be killed. Keiichi-san is aware of that, so therefore he should pay the consequences. No mercy allowed."

Rena spoke up in a chiding tone, "Now, now, Satoko-chan, let's be respectful of Rika-chan and what decision she makes. She's the one who came up top in the club games today, so it's her call."

The blonde blushed in chagrin. She averted her reddish-lilac eyes off to the side opposite from Rena and folded her arms, sulking.

"Alrighty then," whistled Mion as she looked at Rika. "Feel free to do as you please with Kei-chan. If you need anything from my locker, just say the word."

Rika responded back to Mion with a comprehensive nod before she steered her attention over towards Keiichi. Her periwinkle orbs frothed in misty bubbles, indicating the radiant shine of life flickering across her pupils and irises. The bluenette fixed a curious expression at Keiichi, examining his slender yet robust appearance carefully.

A flourishing sensation of happiness forced Rika's lips to widen, transforming into a broad grin as it squished her chubby cheeks above uncomfortably. What an intriguing guy Keiichi was. Rika didn't think she could feel so cheery for one person, yet here she was, utterly mesmerized by the presence of this one boy.

She remembered the day when he first set foot in the classroom, introducing himself to her and her peers as a transfer student who was going to attending class with them. Naturally, being the social butterfly who wanted to expand her circle of friends, Rika was more than pleased to meet Keiichi. Coming across new people was always a pleasant experience, and getting acquanted well with them was twice the fun. Judging from his good-natured behavior, Rika had a feeling she was going to hit it off with him.

Keiichi didn't disappoint. He was every bit the guy Rika imagined him to be - no, even better; he managed to blow her expectations out of the water. The guy was a flamboyant individual who truly lived up to his word in his sought for companions. He knew how to make people laugh, how to brighten a person's day whenever they were down in the dumps, and just knew how to make an interesting time for everyone. All around, he was an amazing guy.

The brown-haired boy also had a way with words, and from that aptitude, he could leave quite an influence on some people. His fluency in his speech was alluring, hauling in her attention as if by magic. And the delivery of his words which spoke integrity, ardor, and ambition of whatever topic was in discussion had left Rika, as well as many others, impressed (sometimes even inspired to follow) in his philosophies.

Rika really admired Keiichi. She couldn't believe that there was someone just like her who wanted to socialize with others and be so frolicsome for themself and others. And she thought she was the only one who could ever be _that_ happy. Not that the child was complaining. It was a good thing, really. Two peas in a pod, as they say.

Even her bestest, best ghostly friend, Hanyuu, was happy to have Keiichi around in the village. A real shame she was invisible to everyone minus her and herself. Would have been nice for Keiichi to acquaint with Hanyuu too.

Oh, Keiichi, he was so fun and entertaining to be around! Not to mention kind and helpful. Rika could recall that particular day - the time where only she and him had conversed together.

[-x-]

_"Keiichi~!" Rika glomped the standing sixteen-year-old boy in a barrelling tackle as he prepared to make his way into the school building. Class had yet to start, and Rika purposely waited at the campus grounds for Keiichi to show up, all so she could greet him. Once she got hold of him in her arms, she tightened her hug, not wanting to let go._

_"Heh-heh, oi, Rika-chan," chuckled Keiichi, glancing down at the ten-year-old who enveloped his waist and nestled her face against his lower right rib. He managed to slip free his right hand from the embrace, and used it to pat her back lightly. "Aren't you in high spirits today? What's gotten you beaming brightly, little sunshine?"_

_Rika pulled her face off Keiichi's side and lifted her head to look at him, not losing the big grin masked over her youthful features. "I'm extremely happy to see you, sir. When you were gone to that trip in Tokyo, it was boring. School wasn't the same without you. But now that you're back, things can be fun again!"_

_The male teenager made a sound of dawned realization. "Ah, that's what this is," he smiled warmly. "Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. To be frank, I was starting to miss you too, Rika-chan. I know it's been a few days since we last saw each other, but it felt like an eternity. It's good to make my return. I'm looking forward to playing against you and the other girls in club games today!"_

_A dark blush made its way past Rika's cheerful expression. "That means a lot for you to say, sir. Thanks!" she giggled to herself adorably before adding, "Oh, almost forget to say. While you were gone, I learned something new yesterday. I thought it would have nice for you to know too, so I waited 'til I could tell."_

_"Oh? Alright then, shoot, what did you learn yesterday?" Keiichi asked in a courteous and curious tone._

_"Well, when lunch rolled around, Satoko came over to me and said she learned a new word she liked most from the vocabulary sheet Chie-sensei gave her exclusively in class. The word was "Gay", which means to be happy. I thought it was a pleasant word to know, so I just wanna tell you I'm feeling as gay as Rena-chan usually is today, and for you too," smiled Rika._

_"Psssshhhh..." Keiichi stifled a snicker, his lips curled a broad grin uncontrollably. A glint of amusement flickered through his eyes as naughty thoughts of Rena and Rika being "gay" rushed to his head like a surging tidal wave. It proved harder for him to not burst into laughter when he started imagining the two girls being "gay" for each other. "Hii-hii-hii-hii... Rika-chan..."_

_"Yes, sir?" Rika quirked her head to the side innocently._

_"Maybe- uh- maybe it's probably best if you stick to using the term, "happy" instead," Keiichi scratched his cheek, feeling his heart placate and thump less rapidly. He still simpered, letting out compressed air of giggles, "Yeah, yeah, let's not go around saying we're gay or anything like that, ha-ha-ha! And for extra insurance, don't listen to Satoko. She likes to stir up trouble, and whatever she tells you can get ya in trouble too."_

_Rika began to snigger too, succumbing down to Keiichi's infectous laughs. "Why? Is "gay" a bad word?"_

_"Well, no, not at all. 's just, that word isn't so much used to describe yourself or anyone else as happy. Really, it defines an entirely different meaning, one that you will learn someday when you get older," Keiichi upraised his right hand to stroke Rika's navy blue hair tenderly, earning himself a contented coo from the child. "Oh, also, don't tell anyone else about this. Neither of us want to get Mion - or especially Rena - all embarrassed, now do we?"_

_"Nope, not at all, kitty-kitty!" Rika chirped before going back to mewing affectionately, "Miiii..."_

_Keiichi hoisted the bag held by his left hand over his shoulder as he advised, "All right then. I was actually a bit later than usual since I overslept, so we should probably start going to class now, lest both of us be tardy," he added heartily, "C'mon, Rika-chan, we'll walk in together."_

_"Sure," as soon as she broke her embracing hold, Rika instantly seized his right hand using the left counterpart of her own and began dragging him over through the entrance. Her cheeks flared in scorching scarlet as she hopped with a beaming look. "Let's!"_

_"Woah, woah, woah! No need of you to yank me so roughly, Rika-chan. I can walk myself just fine," Keiichi grinned as he let himself be escorted by a humming Rika._

[-x-]

That guy, Keiichi, always a delightful and humorous person to spend time with. Rika hadn't yet lost interest in him, and she doubted she could or would anytime soon. He was that great of a guy - a well-appreciated addition Rika didn't regret inviting in her life.

"I hate old maid," Keiichi spoke up, grumbling with averted eyes coupled with balled-up fists on his hips.

"Old maid hates you," Mion delivered a rejoinder, smirking.

All the other girls sans Rika snickered amongst themselves not so subtly as Keiichi groaned loudly in fuming. He adopted Satoko's sulking posture from earlier, crossing his arms tightly over his chest and sinking his head below his shoulders. Rika observed the boy's actions and giggled quietly. Even when pouty, he presented him with such panache that amused her thoroughly.

Now moving on to the question at hand, just what punishment game should she make Keiichi partake in?

There were a good amount of options available, but not ones Rika could think of right off the bat. Around the time Keiichi had lost the club activites a second time - which wasn't long after he had moved in Hinamizawa, Mion, as the winner, suggested he wear something called a "birthday suit". Really, she was only kidding and wanted him to wear a frilly maid outfit instead, though that crude joke earned her a nice punch to the gut from Rena.

Because of that, Satoko was insistent on asking what kind of suits were worn on birthdays, leaving Keiichi, Rena, Mion, and even the routinely naughty Shion all blushing furiously, as if they were embarrassed of something. Rika recalled the mortified look on her teacher's face when Satoko boldly asked her what a birthday suit was and if it was possible for her to wear one on her own birthday. Poor kid learned never to ask that question the hard way when she got herself a week's worth of detention.

Rika herself had also been curious about birthday suits. She was really tempted to pin that penalty on Keiichi right now, just to find out what it was. But ultimately she decided against it. The grown-ups seemed very sensitive about that topic; Satoko getting detention because of it served as proof of that. Asking Hanyuu was out of the question too since the self-conscious horned girl always flew off and disappeared, whimpering, every time she asked about it. People were weird sometimes...

Hmm, what punishment was good, Rika wondered. Any kind of maid outfits were a no-go since Keiichi was constantly wearing those whenever he lost, and that was starting to get repetitive. Those swan swim-trunks Mion kept in her lockers were a good idea, but then again, she had promised Keiichi to be light on his penalty so that wasn't up to execute.

Having him as a slave for the remainder of the week? That seemed a bit contrary to her word too, though it wasn't a bad idea. More time to spend with Keiichi that way. She might have to tweek it a little. Maybe force him to walk her home until next week rolled around? Yeah, that sounded good, though maybe she could also add another thing, perhaps something to do with kitties- that's it!

"I decided! I know what punishment Keiichi can do," Rika cheered proudly, causing all eyes from her friends to peer at her with interest. She approached Mion's locker and turned to look at its owner. "Can you open your locker, Mii?"

"Ah, uh, yeah, sure," complied Mion as she walked over to Rika and began twisting the knob of her locker. A few _clicks_ later, the green-ponytailed teenager unlocked and pried open her school compartment for Rika to use. "All yours to gander. Be my guest."

Rika popped her face in the large assortment of games, costumes and accessories as her small hands rummaged through the crammed pile.

Mion had so much junk in her locker! Enough to cause a rock slide onto the classroom floors if let out improperly. The locker was like a pocket dimension from within, being able to contain such an enormous mass. How Mion managed to keep it all organized was a curious mystery, and the teenager wasn't willing to explain how exactly. Each time she asked, all that Rika could squeeze out of Mion was a vague answer about "possessing the magic touch only she had".

It took some time for Rika to find the stuff she was looking for through the behemoth of clutter. But eventually, Rika was able to get her hands on the desired accessories. She twirled around and whipped out the two items for her friends to see.

The first article, held by her right fingers, was a headband that came with a pair of pointy kitty ears, black on the outer skin of them and purple on the ear flaps. The other object that her left hand clutched was a long and thin, black feline tail with a belt matching in color attached by the end of it. A notable purple bow was tied around the tail accessory.

"Your penalty game is simple, sir," Rika shuffled her feet to the direction where Keiichi stood. She approached Keiichi and stood on her toes as she stretched out her right hand holding the kitty headband, reaching to set them on Keiichi. She grunted, "Wear... these kitty ears on your head."

Pitying the struggling blue-haired girl, Keiichi shook his head with a smile. He kindly took the headband off Rika's hands and placed them over his bundle of burnt-umber hair. Rika silently thanked Keiichi by nodding approvingly as she revolved ninety degrees around him, carefully fingering the leather material of the belt. She then wrapped the belt around his waist from behind, slipping the end tip in the buckle and slotting the prong of it in one of the punch holes, grinning all the while.

"Now, you wear this precious kitty tail around your waist to sell the look, and..." Rika inserted the end tip in the belt loop and pulled it out from the other end, fastening it comfortably to fit Keiichi. She stepped back and admired her handy work. "...that is that. You get to dress up and be my kitty for today. Oh, there's more."

Widening her grin, Rika clasped her hands together and tittered happily, "For the remaining of this week, you'll have to walk me home every day until next week rolls around. While you serve your punishment, you must be equipped in those kitty accessories, lest you wish to walk around in the pink bunny costume that Mii bought recently instead."

"Ugh! You mean to tell me Mion actually- errghh," scrunching his nose in disgust, Keiichi sent a squinting glare towards Mion, who leered back wickedly. He glowered down at his feet as he grumbled sharply, "What perverts all you are, stooping so low to prepare a provocative and most-likely gaudy outfit for me."

"So what do you think, Keiichi?" Rika ignored the exasperation exuding from the boy. She gave him a slight tilt of her head in cute fashion. "Sound like a fair penalty game for you? I can make changes if you don't."

Keiichi looked up. His frowning lips quivered before blowing out a sigh of defeat. The expression he wore changed to a more softer and friendly look. He shot his violet eyes down at Rika to answer in a kind tone, "No, don't change anything. I'm content with what you proposed. 's not bad, truthfully. In fact, I like it, really like it. Sounds good. Could be worse anyway."

Hearing that made Rika ecstatic. Keiichi sounded like he was very pleased over the idea. Terrific! At least now she didn't have to worry about any disapproval from him. Things were taking a smooth direction. Rika beamed cheerfully, "I'm happy you say that, sir."

"Ho? But you two live in houses that are opposite from each other in direction, meaning Kei-chan will have-ta walk you over to your house first, and then turn around south to make a long stroll to his home afterwards," Mion mused thoughtfully before her eyes lit up. "Oh! I see now! Rika-chan's making the beta of our group take extra steps back home, probably to whip him into better shape for our club. Yeah, I get it. A painful but productive and beneficial penalty game. Very smart, Rika-chan. Good call!"

"Making the bet-a-" Keiichi reiterated dumbfoundedly and trailed off. Realization had hit him hard. Momentarily, his eyes widened before narrowing in slits and gliding over to Mion's. He scoffed, "Oh, shut up, Mion. I'm not a beta."

"Keep tellin' yourself that, Kei-chan," Mion stuck her tongue at him. "That massive losing streak of yours begs to differ. Nobody else but you has it."

Keiichi folded him arms, looking away from the sneering Mion. He muttered sourly, "Forget it. I give up. Go ahead and say what you want. Whatever makes you happy. But just you know, someday, I'll be the one holding all the cards - pun intended, and you will be eating off the short end of the stick, and that goes for you too, Satoko. You two devils will get what's due eventually."

Mion and Satoko snorted.

"For what it's worth, Kei-chan, you have it pretty easy," Shion piped helpfully with an amiable smile. "Instead of cross-dressing or carrying our heavy schoolbags or doing our chores, you get to just walk little Rika-chan home. The inconvenience of having to walk through the long distance between your houses is a fairly decent trade-off for the usual punishments."

"I still say Rika's being too nice," threw in Satoko flatly. The blonde fixed a stern gaze at Keiichi. She wagged her index finger like a scolding mother. "You better show plentiful gratitude for her generosity, mister, 'cause next time you lose, I guarantee I will win and you'll find that I won't be so forgiving."

"Keep your trap shut, child. Your arrogance deafens my ears," the brown-haired boy rolled his eyes. He folded his ear-flaps in and pressed his index and middle fingers against them, in effort to block out the shrill, distasteful voice of the eleven-year-old child.

Rena had been awfully silent throughout the conversation between her fellow club associates. She simply stared at everyone around, primarily Keiichi and Rika with a funny look. Eventually, all the members of the group took notice of Rena's eerie state and grew concerned. The auburn-haired girl was usually a chipper chatter box.

"Hey, Rena, sir?" Rika brought her squeaky voice up, asking Rena curiously, "Is there something wrong? You seem tongue-tied."

The feminine teenager in question continued to remain quiet, but her facial features began to contort gradually. No more did the strange expression of Rena's exist, but rather a new disposition took shape. Her lips stretched outward and curved upward, forming what appeared to be a broad smile. Her aqua eyes began to enlarge and shimmer in a lively manner. And her gracile figure trembled greatly.

Everyone took a collective step back, most nervous and a few of them fearful even. All of them were familiar with the change of countenance that affected Rena's face, and they had all prepared themselves for what was to happen next.

"Haaaauuuuu~!" Rena cried jovially, tossing her head around side-by-side with paired fists pressing against her chest. She flashed her sparkling, starry eyes. "Keiichi-kun gets to be Rika-chan's kitty for all this week. Haauu, that kitty tail and pair of kitty ears. Kawaii~! Oooh, I'm wanna take him home with meeee...!"

Rena readily stomped her feet continually as her excited whimpers grew louder. Poor Keiichi paled visibly and cowered in fear. He lifted his hands up in a surrender gesture as he pled for Rena's mercy, fumbling his words frantically. Rika, surprisingly, didn't exhibit fright like the boy. Au contraire, she had seemed rather annoyed, if the frown and twitching of one eye directed right at Rena was anything to go by.

"No! No, no, no," denied Rika vehemently. Her feet stormed close to Keiichi as she seized Keiichi's stomach in her arms, clinging tightly onto him desperately. She glared daggers at Rena harshly and proclaimed, "You're forbiddened to take Keiichi home. I'm the only one who has that privilege. Only I'm allowed take him home."

The club members were struck dumb completely. Rena stopped dead in her tracks, recoiling over the sharp, almost-murderous death stare thrown her way. In disbelief, Keiichi cast his eyes below where an exasperated Rika continued to clutch his waist and keep her eyes of ire locked onto Rena.

Rika forewarned Rena, "Try it and I'll take _you_ home. You don't get to steal Keiichi from me, not today."

Her cutting words were ear-snaring, but by no means was her tone in voice threatening. Rika was acting hilariously puerile, like a stubborn child refusing to part with their toy. To most, it was an adorable spectacle.

However, Rena actually did seem scared, granted only mildly. She shrunk beneath her shoulders and commented in a low and fearful voice, "Haauuu... I didn't know you could get so... possessive, Rika-chan. Hau..."

"Eeh? Since when did the club's Raccoon Rika ever start wanting Keiichi-san for herself?" Satoko arched an eyebrow, confused over what transpired and unsure what to think of her friend. "I don't get it, what's the big deal?"

"..." Shion merely fixed a dubious gaze at Rika, blinking blankly every now and then.

Mion appeared to be in a stupor, but it hadn't been long before she returned to her senses. The club leader straightened herself and laughed heartily, "Nyaha-ha-ha-ha, now I've seen everything. Satoko-chan's hit it right in the bull's eye. Rika-chan's being awfully worried over losing Kei-chan off her hands. Can't say I blame her, I wouldn't want him snaking his way out of punishment either. Sorry, Rena-chan, you can't intervene when it comes to obligated penalties, ku-ku-ku!"

She strode over to a dumbfounded Keiichi and laid a hand over his shoulder, catching his attention. "Well, well, Kei-chan, consider yourself a lucky boy. No girl in my club has ever acted this way to a boy before, and who would've thunk she'd behave this way for you. That's an honor, wouldn't ya say?"

Something about Mion touching Keiichi's shoulder nonchalantly had irked Rika, for reasons inexplicable. The only thing Rika could understand out of her instilling rage was that Mion was getting a bit too close for comfort with Keiichi, and frankly, she didn't like it.

Rika released Keiichi and turned to Mion furiously before pushing her back. The club president yelped as she felt the hands on her stomach forcing her backwards, causing her feet to stumble south instinctively. Fortunately, Rika was only making Mion step back, so Mion didn't fall down or feel any pain around her stomach. No damage was done.

"Stay away, Mii. Don't get too close," Rika pulled a face as she blocked the distance between the two teenagers. "I'm the winner to Keiichi's loser. He's mine to deal with today."

Baring no ill-feelings towards the ten-year-old, Mion let out a boisterous laugh. She wore a sheepish smile. "Alright, alright, I'll back down, honey. No need to get any more jealous than you need to."

Keiichi rubbed the back of his head self-consciously, observing the overprotective and belligerent comportment from the normally laidback and affable Rika. He found this whole situation to be the pique of his interest. It didn't take the boy being a genius to figure out that Rika was very fond over him, but he didn't think she liked him to this extent.

"Ah, Rika-chan," Keiichi knelt down on one knee and gazed above Rika with a friendly smile. As the blue-haired child twirled to face him, he gave her a few pats to her head. "You have nothing to fear. I will keep up my end of the punishment and walk you home. Just don't go fending other people off, okay?"

"Meewww... okay, I'll try!" Rika purred like a kitten, accepting the rough but affectionate strokes wholeheartedly.

"Great. Whaddaya say we head to your home now? I think it's about time we start. I'll be generous enough to carry you on my back if you want," Keiichi offered as his thumb gestured to his back.

Rika loved the idea. She immediately rushed over to his back and hopped on, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "Mii~! What a great idea, sir. I'll take you up on that. Let's leave."

The brown-haired boy hoisted himself up on his feet. He inclined his body downward marginally, taking away any potential risks of Rika falling off. As he began to stride towards the door, Keiichi glanced over to his other associates and threw in, "Well, see ya ladies around, I guess. All of you have a good one."

A couple veins throbbed near Satoko's forehead region. The blonde stared back at Keiichi in misgiving and trailed behind him as she snarled, "Not so fast, Keiichi-san. I am not gonna leave you and Rika alone, pervert! Heaven forbid what could happen. I'm going with you."

And gone the three were.

Rena remarked, "Wow, Rika-chan's a lucky girl. She gets to take home someone who I can't take home today. It sure does make me envious. Curiouser and curiouser, I wonder what's getting her so close to Keiichi-kun," she then trailed off absentmindedly in her words, "I wonder, I... wonder..."

"Mmm..." on Shion's face pasted a vacant expression, one that was aimed at the open slided door Keiichi and the two girls had went out through. She was mumbling something to herself lowly, words that went along the lines of, "...Just like Satoshi-kun..."

"Shion, Rena-chan, are you both doing okay?" Mion expressed her concerns. "You two appear to be scratching your necks," proving her point, she had one finger directed at the forming rash marks around their jugulars, to which the two girls were indeed clawing off with their nails.

Both teenage girls paused to glance down at their actions. Upon realizing that Mion had been right, both of them pulled their scoring fingers away from their necks.

"Oh, uhm, yes, I'm fine. My neck is just a little itchy for some reason," Rena answered politely, waving a hand reassuringly.

Shion merely grunted and avoided her sister's worried gaze. Her thickening frown and sharp eyes drilled through the metal-reeking steel of the school lockers. The younger twin seemed aggravated.

Mion's worries hadn't dissipated. If anything, they had worsened ten-fold. And she couldn't be faulted for that. It was the calm before the storm, and Shion and Rena were to be huge factors in contributing the storm.

[-x-]

"Miii..." Rika cooed and buried her face in the back of Keiichi's head, her nostrils smothered by the raspberry aroma surrounding the boy's chocolate-colored hair in an unseen mist. Keiichi used good shampoo - probably because of his mother's grocery shopping no doubt. The bluenette recalled running into Keiichi's mom that one time at the store in Okinomiya. She was a nice person, kind enough to shop with her together and even offered to pay for some of her stuff.

"You doing good, Rika-chan?" asked Keiichi as he kept shuffling his feet. "I know you must be getting worn out, but don't loosen your grip on me. Satoko won't shed an tear of forgiveness on me if anything bad happened to ya."

Satoko remained vigilant, not letting her glued narrowed eyes off Keiichi or Rika. She said brusquely, "You're right about that."

The indigo-haired girl lifted her face off Keiichi and grinned radiantly, "No need to worry, kitty-kitty, sir. I would never let you go that easily. Just keep on walking."

"Ha-ha-ha, alright," Keiichi chuckled, picking up the pace in his footsteps with Satoko doing the same. He perceived the hairs of his head's backside frizzle from the soothing nestles of Rika's silky face. And he shifted his moving figure upon the delicate bare limbs from Rika brushing lightly against his covered chest and sides. He clasped onto Rika's legs tenderly, not daring to let go lest his passenger wound up on the floor in an unpleasant fall.

_'...Mii... so cozy... to be held onto Keiichi...'_ Rika hummed quietly to herself as she drowsed blissfully in the embrace from her to him. Letting her eyelids droop, the bluenette listened to the cicada's rhythmic drones and the _snapping_ leaves and thin branches beneath Keiichi and Satoko's stepping feet that drummed alongside the thrumming insects.

The trio were treading upward in the woods, following through the extensive dirt trail gliding ahead to where Rika and Satoko's house was located from afar. Despite the generous amount of shade provided by the myriad of ancient trees complemented with their many limbs and rustling leaves, Rika could feel generated heat cluster all over her flushed face; her burning face continued to rise in temperature the longer she held on to Keiichi.

Rika tightened her grasp on the boy with one arm, using the other to drag her hand around his head before pinching the tip of his kitty ear accessory. She tugged it playfully, heavily amused from stretching the flexible, furry ear. Delighted chortles erupted out of her sealed, grinning lips.

Having Keiichi wear a pair of cat ears and tail for a punishment game was the best idea she thought of so far. And to boot, she had him all to herself, walking her home every afternoon until the next week. In light of that, Rika never felt so gladdened in her life. Mion's club games definitely have their up-sides. If this kept on, her and Keiichi could be-

"We're here," Keiichi announced happily whilst keeping his eyes fixed at the two-story mahogany building, presumably Satoko and Rika's house. A bemused expression attached to his face. "Or I think we're here, anyway. Are we?"

"Yeah, we are," answered Satoko. She stuck a daring finger atop his chest as she ordered, "Now you put Rika down. It's no longer necessary for you to carry her like that. And don't try anything perverted. I got my eyes on you."

Keiichi huffed in annoyance but nonetheless obeyed. He crouched down, his hands freeing Rika's dainty lower limbs from their hold as they carefully moved away. Rika untied her loop of arms around the teenage male and slid down past his back, landing on her feet softly.

"It's alright, Satoko. Keiichi won't hurt me, I know he won't. Go inside now," Rika coaxed gently as she gazed at her golden-haired friend warmly.

Initially, Satoko seemed hesitant to listen, but after what felt like a minute, she heaved a defeated sigh. Puffing her cheeks to the size of balloons, the blonde pointed a finger V-sign at her eyes before directing them over to Keiichi's, gesturing a "I got my eye on you" sign. She then spun on her heel and begrudgingly stormed off towards the entrace of the house.

"What's her deal, I swear. Rigging the games to make me lose is one thing, but this whole distrust thing is ridiculous," Keiichi commented, watching Satoko pull out a small key from her pocket to unlock the door, before entering and sliding it shut roughly.

A blithely smiling Rika cloaked her skinny arms behind her back and reasoned, "Well, both of us don't have any parental figures, so we stick together and look out for each other's safety. That's the reason why we live under the same roof," she shook her head lightly. "Anyway, thanks so much for escorting me home. It means a lot."

"No need to thank me. I just did what you wanted me to do. This is supposed to be my punishment game, after all, ha ha!" Keiichi replied, flashing a bashful, wide grin as he scratched his head's backside. "Well, I'll be candid about this, but I had fun walking you and Satoko home. I'm glad you suggested this penalty game for me."

"...!" Rika was dumbstruck. The only response she could give was a short, terse gasp. It took her seconds to regain her composure, but soon she managed to muster, "O-Oh really now? I know you said you were willing to oblige, but I didn't realized you fonded over the idea."

Keiichi placed his fists over his hips and laughed heartily, "But of course. I would never tire of spending time with my friends. I am more than happy to spend time with you and Satoko - well, you yourself specifically."

"Eh? Why me?" the blue-haired girl couldn't help wonder.

"The question you should be asking is "Why _not_ me?". You're the one I enjoy being around the most. I get good word from all the villagers on how kind and social you are amongst them, and they don't lie. I noticed all your actions from school, and I admire your positivity and benign manners. Truthfully, I always wanted to share my time with you, but never gotten the chance to do so without being awkward. That is, until now," Keiichi confessed.

His hand reached out to ruffle Rika's soft, indigo tufts, and in reaction, Rika caterwauled in affection from being nursed by his palm. "With how relatable our distinctive personalities are, the two of us are birds of a feather. Believe me when I say I enjoyed every minute of our walk together, and I look forward for more."

Rika's mouth hung marginally agape. She stared wide-eyed at the brown-haired boy with rosy cheeks sizzling in heat equivalent to that of the radiant sun and contrasting her cool blue hair. Who'd thunk Keiichi would hold bonafide interest in spending more time with her? It was a massive bombshell, for sure, though definitely flattering meanwhile. She felt... truly touched.

"Mii... mii~" Rika's hands grabbed Keiichi by his collar as their owner leaned in close to his face, at the same time arisen on her tippy toes. Before the boy had any say in the sudden action, she proceeded to plant a kiss on the tip of his nose.

The daring move remotely hadn't lasted a second. Notwithstanding that however, the short string of time did nothing to deter the importance of affection between Keiichi and Rika. Quickly pulling away, Rika took a few steps back and giggled, "Consider that, and what I'm about to do next, a token of my appreciation."

"...Nipaahhhh~!" cheering, the indigo-haired child squeezed her eyes shut, quirked her head to her right, and cast her broadest grin to Keiichi. Her hands clasped together and swung over to the same direction her head was slanting.

Afterwards, Rika leveled her head back to its normal angle while dropping her arms down to her sides. Opening her sewn eyes, she showed Keiichi her bubbly periwrinkle orbs, which sparkled lively in anticipation. She beamed, "Don't forget it, Keiichi. That word is what's gonna keep us connected. Expect to hear more of it from me."

Rika whirled on her feet and began to hop merrily to the door of her home, waving about her descending, fluorescent blue current of shoulder-length hair in a swaying motion with the breeze. She added cheerfully, "See you tomorrow! Hope you don't forget your punishment game."

For Keiichi, his eyes blinked in incomprehension, his mind trying to stomach the swift development earlier. His digits stroked the area of his nose that came in physical contact with Rika's lips, making note of how soft and light her mouth was.

When he had finally registered it all, Keiichi surrendered to the big, giddy smile that had the audacity to latch on his face. The chocolate-haired boy muttered quietly to himself, "I won't, Rika-chan. I won't," he paused in his words for a moment before adding amusedly, "...Nipah, huh?"

Rika kicked off her red Mary Jane footwear clumsily to the house floors as she closed the door behind her, tittering childishly and skipping past through a bemused Satoko looking her way. Today certainly was fun, to say the least. She had quite the story to tell Hanyuu, that was once the lavender-haired ghostly girl made her return from exploring the village.

She couldn't stop recalling the nice peck her lips delivered to Keiichi's nose. It lasted about the same time as catching a mere glimpse of a passing car, and yet it had her heart fluttering in a rapid rate. Then there was the things he had said to her when they finally reached the house. How sweet! Keiichi was hard to get through thanks to his blissful ignorance, but he had his moments of gallantry withal.

Sadly, though, Rika wasn't the only one who bore similar feelings to the male teenager. Mion and Rena - those two women seemed far too coveting of him too. Rika wasn't stupid; she saw the way they were trying to reach out to Keiichi shamelessly today, especially that Rena. Ooh, that "take-all-cute-things-home" girl was naughty for sure. Naughty kitties, both her and Mion.

Well, no problem. If they want to play the jealous card and steal Keiichi (fail trying, that is), so be it. Playing fire with fire was something Rika could manage. It was indecent of her, but with her beloved man at stake, there was no other options. Rika had to get her hands dirty. She had to get closer, had to fight harder to really reel in Keiichi's attention. Only then would he truly be hers.

As many had said and some would say, the end justified the means. Rika needed Keiichi all for herself, and she needed to make sure no one else would even _dream_ of snatching him away.

[-x-]

**Author's Note: So, for the cause of the first world's demise, I thought maybe Shion and Rena succumbing to the syndrome together could've been perfect contributors to that - with Shion's reason being that the bond between Keiichi and Rika reminded her greatly of her desires for the missing Satoshi, and Rena being that she was jealous of Rika and had a thing for Keiichi too. I wanted to make the problem slightly unique since this is meant to be set in the beginning of Rika's loop.**

**Sorry for the rushed ending. I tried to work more uncomfortably just to finish this A.S.A.P, 'cause, y'know, Rika's birthday. I wanted it posted on her birthday; I mean, August 24th - a Rika-centric chapter focused on her earlier years before the Endless June.**

**Oh, and I realized I love making puns. Keiichi to Satoko, "Keep your trap shut!" - says this to a child who loves making traps. Ha ha!**

**One last thing, I'm planning on starting a chapter story very soon (yes, a chapter story, not a cluster of one-shots together), so the updates on this anthology fanfic will go slower from here on out.**

**That's it. See y'all next time~!**


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